Pope Tawadros II of Alexandria and Patriarch of Saint Mark Diocese mourned veteran politician and lawyer and former deputy premier Yehia el Gamal, who passed away on Monday.

In a statement on Tuesday, Pope Tawadros said "Dr. Yehia el Gamal is one of the greats of Egypt in our time.. he was a highly respectable citizen."

He extended his sincere condolences to his family and all Egyptians.

Yehia el Gamal passed away Monday at the age of 88 after a long battle with disease.

He was born in Menoufia on August 15, 1930. He studied law at Cairo University. He was appointed assistant prosecutor in 1953.

In 1964, El Gamal served as a professor for constitutional law in Cairo University's Faculty of Law.

He holds several senior posts, including minister of cabinet affairs and administrative development in 1971 in Mohamed Hegazy's cabinet under late president Mohamed Anwar el Sadat. 

The last post el Gamal assumed was following the January 25 Revolution when he was appointed deputy premier.

He wrote many books such as "Constitutional System in Egypt", "Administrative Judiciary" and "Constitutional Judiciary".

He published his autobiography in a book entitled "Kesat Haya Adeyya" (An Ordinary Life Story).

Souce: MENA