Egyptian supreme court shuts down in protest against president's power grab

Protests by Islamists allied to president Mohamed Mursi yesterday forced an immediate adjournment of Egypt's highest court escalating the conflict between some of the country's top judges and the head of state.

According to the Supreme Constitutional Court, it would not convene until its judges could operate without "psychological and material pressure.'' The court said the protesters had stopped the judges from reaching the building.

Several hundred of Mursi supporters had protested outside the court through the night, in favour of the Islamist-controlled upper house of parliament and the assembly that drafted a new constitution, the validity of both of which were to have been examined by the Supreme Constitutional Court.

Mursi's efforts to steer clear of the crisis ignited by a 22 November decree that temporarily expanded his powers, shich led to nationwide protests against him and his Muslim Brotherhood group, have suffered thanks to the protests.

But the decision of the court to suspend its activites is not expected to have much of an impact on Mursi's drive to get the new constitution passed in a national referendum on 15 December.

Judges who supervise voting in Egypt, would play an important role and Mursi would need them to oversee the referendum.