Egypt: Lawyers begin 48-hour strike to protest new litigation fees

Attorneys throughout Egypt began a two-day general strike on Sunday in accordance with the Lawyers Syndicate’s resolution to protest the rise in litigation fees, and refuse to appear at hearings in any of the country’s criminal courts.

The syndicate confirmed in a statement on Sunday that anyone who attends the sessions in violation of the strike decision will face disciplinary action, which includes being banned from using any syndicate services and suspended from practicing their profession. Images of lawyers adhering to the syndicate’s strike decision were shared on its Facebook page. This strike in protest of the rise in litigation fees is the second of its kind.

To protest the fees increase and demand their immediate cancellation, attorneys had previously staged a half-hour sit-in in front of their syndicate offices in mid-April. The fees increase was characterized by the legal community as a burden on attorneys and citizens, as well as a violation of the constitutional right to litigation.

According to the syndicate, the General Assembly of Lawyers will be called to meet the next day to escalate the situation and make the necessary decisions if the decision-making authorities do not reexamine these decisions within a week of the strike.

The Cairo Court of Appeal’s decision to impose a new “file review fee,” set at EGP 33 per document, in early March sparked outrage and opposition from attorneys. They contended that the ruling dramatically increased the price of other services, including issuing certificates, which now cost EGP 60.5, and acquiring legally binding copies of verdicts, which now cost EGP 242.