Naharnet

British Ambassador Quips on Egypt Judge Controversy

Britain's ambassador to Egypt weighed in Wednesday with a quip on the controversy stirred by the justice minister's remark that becoming a judge was too lofty an ambition for sons of cleaners.

"You want a job at the British embassy? We welcome everybody. We welcome sons of cleaners," John Casson wrote in Arabic on his Twitter account.

Twitter users in Egypt were quick to react.

"We want the British ambassador to be named justice minister," wrote one. 

Another was not so positive, commenting: "Embassies should not interfere in internal issues. Haven't they taught u this?"

Justice Minister Mahfouz Saber resigned on Monday, two days after making the controversial remarks in a television interview.

Critics had called for the minister to be sacked.

Judges are "lofty and have status", and must come from "a respectable milieu", Saber said. 

If a son of a cleaner were to work as a judge, "he would get depressed and won't continue", he said.

Source: Agence France Presse


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