The Supreme Administrative Court on Monday rejected an appeal to overturn Hosni Mubarak’s resignation as president in 2011. The court ruled it had no jurisdiction in the matter as the decision to step down is a sovereign one and thus is not subject to judicial oversight.

According to Aswat Masreya, the appeal was filed by lawyer Mohi Rashid and several of Mubarak’s supporters. The appeal is based on several articles of Law 174 (2005) governing elections and presidential decisions. According to the law, Mubarak’s decision to step down should have been put forward to a public referendum.

Mubarak stepped down on 11 February 2011 after millions of Egyptians took to the streets to protest deteriorating conditions under his rule. He handed over power to the Supreme Council of Armed Forces and was eventually tried and sentenced to life imprisonment for failing to stop the murder of protesters at the hands of security forces during the uprising which ousted him.