The Egyptian Magistrates Court yesterday rejected the government’s request to freeze the verdict to abolish Egyptian demarcation with Saudi Arabia, the Anadolu Agency reported.

Judicial sources said the government requested the ruling be frozen pending the results of the appeal made to the Constitutional Court, but the Magistrates Court rejected the request.

According to the judicial sources, the decision forces President Abdel Fattah Al-Sisi to commit to a previous court ruling that abolishes the demarcation deal and any other similar deal.

On 21 June, the Magistrates Court invalidated the deal, through which Egypt transferred the Red Sea islands of Tiran and Sanafir to Saudi Arabia, but the Court of Urgent Matters later decided to freeze the ruling.

Government lawyer Khaled Ali said the two islands were removed from Egyptian geography school books.

Previously, Ali said that he had sent letters to the president of the republic as well as the ministries of interior, foreign affairs and defence demanding them to stop any hand over of Egyptian territories to Saudi Arabia.

The deal should be discussed in parliament prior to a public referendum in accordance with Article 151 of the Constitution, he explained.