Wednesday, January 18, 2012

Top lawyer quits legal association


Muscat: Protesting against Omani Lawyers Association's "failure" in resolving the cellphone ban issue, Khalifa Al Hinai, a former judge and a senior member of the association, yesterday resigned from the body.

The decision
"The Muscat Appeals Court's move to deny permission for lawyers to carry cellphones and handbags inside the court premises is embarrassing. Moreover, the association is seen as being unsuccessful in resolving this issue. If they can't resolve it, I don't want to be a part of them. The court's move is an embarrassing situation for the entire lawyers' fraternity," Khalifa told
Times of Oman.

On Saturday, Muscat Appeals Court in Al Khuwair had denied lawyers the permission to carry cellphones and handbags inside court premises, after a video recording (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_6JUCjvAeN4) of last Wednesday's court hearing on wrongful gathering case surfaced on Youtube.

Frisking lawyers
Since Saturday onwards, the lawyers are being frisked and are not being allowed to carry cellphones and handbags inside the court. Earlier, the public were not allowed to carry cellphones inside court, but lawyers were allowed.

"Earlier, it was visitors who were also not allowed to carry cellphones inside the
court premises.

"But after this incident, lawyers are also being frisked while entering courtroom," Sumaiya Al Balushi, a lawyer, told Times of Oman on Sunday.
       


Source : http://www.timesofoman.com/News/Article-3980.aspx