Egyptian judges [UNDP-POGAR judiciary backgrounder] have threatened not to supervise presidential and parliamentary elections due later this year unless the government amends laws which limit judicial power and prevent the convening of free and fair elections. The judges say that close relations between the executive and the judiciary undermine their independence and ability to properly monitor elections and are calling for the country's interior ministry to surrender certain controls over the electoral process. The judges say changes should be made by June when Egyptians will be asked in a popular referendum to approve a constitutional amendment [JURIST report] proposed by current President Hosni Mubarak [Aljazeera profile; official website] to allow for the first multi-candidate presidential election in Egypt's history, set to be held in September. AFP has more.