Egypt SC suspends work indefinitely in protest

The court's decision is the latest turn in a worsening political crisis pitting President Mohammed Morsi and his Islamist allies against the mostly secular opposition. The standoff began when Morsi issued a package of decrees on November 22 that gave him sweeping powers and extended immunity from the courts to a panel tasked with drafting a new constitution.

The Islamist-dominated panel then raced in a marathon session last week to vote on the new charter's 230 clauses without the participation of liberal and Christian members. The fast-track hearing pre-empted a decision expected from the court Sunday on whether to dissolve the committee — a ruling the judges postponed Sunday.

Morsi on Saturday announced a referendum on the draft charter for December 15, despite opposition protests and questions about the document's legitimacy.

"It is the Egyptian judiciary's blackest day on record," the court said in a statement carried by the official MENA news agency, describing the scene outside the court complex, with Islamists carrying banners denouncing the tribunal and some of its judges.

Supporters of Morsi, who hails from the fundamentalist Muslim Brotherhood, claim that the court's judges are loyalists of ousted president Hosni Mubarak, who appointed them to their positions, and are trying to derail the country's transition to democratic rule.

The court statement said the judges approached the court but decided against entering the building because they feared for their safety.

"The judges of the Supreme Constitutional Court were left with no choice but to announce to the glorious people of Egypt that they cannot carry out their sacred mission in this charged atmosphere," the statement said.

The judges were also expected to rule on legitimacy of the Islamist-dominated upper house of parliament, known as Shura Council.

By suspending its work, the court joined the country's highest appeals court and its sister lower court in their indefinite strikes.

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