Appeal on Tiran, Sanafir agreement adjourned till June 18

CAIRO - 4 June 2017: The appeal on the validity of the Tiran and Sanafir agreement whereby Egypt hands the two Red Sea islands to Saudi Arabia has been adjourned to June 18.

The Court of Urgent matters said on Sunday it will look into new documents needed in the case.

The Supreme Administrative Court ruled Jan. 16 that the agreement signed by the Egyptian government is invalid; hence the Court of Urgent Matters is “not specialized” to rule on the issue, says Ali Ayoub, director of Ibn Ayoub Center for Legal Defense.

Last April, the Court of Urgent Matters accepted the case filed against the ruling of the Supreme Administrative Court and ruled the agreement valid; however, Ayoub filed his appeal.

The Tiran and Sanafir agreement stirred not only a wide-scale judicial dispute, but also several street protests since April 2016, when the agreement was announced.

The agreement was signed by President Abdel Fatah al-Sisi and his Saudi counterpart Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud on April 8, 2016, during a visit to Cairo that lasted for five days.