Egypt’s top administrative court upheld on Monday a ruling voiding a government agreement to hand over two Red Sea islands to Saudi Arabia in deal that sparked rare protests.
The Egyptian government had appealed against a lower court ruling in June that found the controversial border demarcation agreement was illegal.
In its ruling, the High Administrative Court said it was its “unanimous” decision that the two islands — Tiran and Sanafir — were sovereign Egyptian territories.
The courtroom erupted in cheers as the judge delivered the verdict, with lawyers and activists chanting: “These islands are Egyptian.”
The decision came after the government referred the agreement to parliament for a vote.
Lawyers present in court told AFP the ruling was final, but a former senior judge said the government could still find a way to appeal it.
Mohamed Hamed Al-Gamal, the former head of the administrative court, said the decision was final according to this court’s procedure, but it could be unconstitutional.
“The law and the constitution affirm the absence of administrative court jurisdiction in sovereign matters such as international treaties,” Gamal said.
The government may challenge the ruling before the constitutional court, he added.

Source : Arab News