Home Tags Posts tagged with "mohamed elbaradei"
mohamed elbaradei
Tens of thousands of protesters are on the streets of Egyptian cities in rival shows of force by supporters and opponents of Mohamed Morsi, ousted as president by the military last week.
Mohamed Morsi’s supporters have gathered outside a mosque and a barracks in Cairo to demand his reinstatement.
Anti-Morsi protesters are rallying in the capital’s Tahrir Square.
Mohamed Morsi, Egypt’s first Islamist president, is in detention, along with some senior Muslim Brotherhood figures.
He was replaced on Thursday by Adly Mansour – the head of the Supreme Constitutional Court – who promised to hold elections soon but gave no date.
The military has deployed troops in Cairo and other locations. More than 30 people were killed and about 1,000 people injured across Egypt in protests on Friday.
Mohamed Morsi’s supporters have been camped outside the Rabaa al-Adawiya mosque in Cairo for more than a week. On Sunday, thousands marched from the mosque to the barracks of the Presidential Guard, where they believe Mohamed Morsi is being held.
Another group of pro-Morsi marchers are heading for the ministry of defense.
Tens of thousands of protesters are on the streets of Egyptian cities in rival shows of force by supporters and opponents of Mohamed Morsi
Tamarod, the opposition movement whose name means “rebel” in Arabic, called on its supporters to rally in Tahrir Square and at the Ittihadiya presidential palace.
Egypt military planes flew overhead, trailing plumes of smoke in red, white and black, the colors of the national flag.
There is still no word on whether pro-reform leader Mohamed Elbaradei has been appointed as interim prime minister.
Tamarod has tweeted that it will not accept anyone except Mohamed ElBaradei, a Nobel laureate and former head of the UN nuclear agency, as prime minister.
However, the ultra-conservative Salafist al-Nour party is said to be unhappy with Mohamed ElBaradei, whom its members view as too secular.
In other developments, plain-clothes police raided the main office of al-Jazeera’s Arabic TV channel in Cairo on Sunday and arrested the bureau chief.
Abdel Fattah Fayed is accused of operating an unlicensed channel and broadcasting reports that had a negative impact on national security.
Meanwhile, 11 activists have been acquitted of inciting violence and destroying public property, the Egyptian state news agency Mena reported.
The group – which included the blogger Ahmed Douma – was facing charges relating to clashes with Muslim Brotherhood supporters outside the organization’s headquarters in March.
Tamarod – which organized the recent anti-Morsi protests – had accused the ousted president of pursuing an Islamist agenda against the wishes of most Egyptians, and of failing to tackle economic problems.
The US and other Western countries have expressed concern over Mohamed Morsi’s removal, and have called for reconciliation and speedy elections.
[youtube 6rvdFXfctjg]
Egypt’s new president, Adly Mahmud Mansour, says pro-reform leader Mohamed ElBaradei has not yet been appointed as interim prime minister despite earlier reports.
A spokesman for interim President Adly Mansour said consultations were continuing.
Officials had earlier named Mohamed ElBaradei – a former head of the UN’s nuclear watchdog – for the post.
News of his appointment had been criticized by the Salafist Nour Party, which said it would not work with him.
Egypt’s new president, Adly Mahmud Mansour, says pro-reform leader Mohamed ElBaradei has not yet been appointed as interim prime minister despite earlier reports
It came three days after the army removed Islamist leader Mohammed Morsi following growing public unrest.
The appointment of Mohamed ElBaradei caused anger among supporters of Mphamed Morsi, who want to see him returned to power.
“Interim President Adly Mansour met today with Dr. ElBaradei but so far there has been no official appointment,” Agence France-Presse news agency quoted presidential advisor Ahmed al-Muslimani as saying.
But he added that Mohamed ElBaradei was “the logical choice” among a list of names being considered, the news agency said.
Mohamed ElBaradei and other party leaders attended a meeting called by Adly Mansour on Saturday.
He leads an alliance of liberal and left-wing parties, the National Salvation Front.
Prominent opposition leader Mohamed ElBaradei has been named as Egypt’s interim prime minister.
Mohamed ElBaradei was appointed following crisis talks led by President Adly Mahmud Mansour – three days after the army removed Islamist leader Mohamed Morsi amid growing nationwide unrest.
The move has in turn triggered mass unrest by supporters of Mohamed Morsi.
Prominent opposition leader Mohamed ElBaradei has been named as Egypt’s interim prime minister
Mohamed ElBaradei – a former head of the UN’s nuclear watchdog – is expected to be sworn in later on Saturday.
He and other party leaders attended a meeting called by Adly Mahmud Mansour on Saturday.
Mohamed ElBaradei leads an alliance of liberal and left-wing parties, the National Salvation Front.
More than 30 people died and about 1,000 were wounded in Friday’s protests by Islamist supporters of the deposed president.
The Muslim Brotherhood – to which Mohamed Morsi belongs – has said its followers would remain on the streets until he is restored to office.
[youtube owTEeZWJlg8]
The Egyptian army has deployed tanks and armored troop carriers outside the presidential palace in Cairo after clashes between supporters and rivals of President Mohammed Morsi.
The streets of the capital are now reported to be calm following the earlier violence that left five people dead and hundreds injured.
Egypt is seeing growing unrest over a controversial draft constitution.
The government insists that a referendum will go ahead this month.
The clashes are possibly the most dangerous development in Egypt’s growing political crisis.
The violence, which opposition leaders accused Mohamed Morsi’s Islamist Muslim Brotherhood movement of organizing, was ominously reminiscent of the tactics used by former President Hosni Mubarak during the revolution.
Supporters of Mohamed Morsi responded to a call to rally outside the presidential palace, in the suburb of Heliopolis, on Wednesday afternoon.
The mainly secular opponents of the president were already staging a sit-in protest there, after tens of thousands of them besieged the palace on Tuesday.
Stones and petrol bombs were thrown and there were reports of gunfire as Morsi supporters dismantled some of the tents set up by their opponents.
The Brotherhood later called on all sides to “withdraw at the same time and pledge not to return there given the symbolism of the palace”.
Disorder was also reported in other cities, with Muslim Brotherhood offices attacked in Ismailia and Suez.
The Egyptian army has deployed tanks and armored troop carriers outside the presidential palace in Cairo after clashes between supporters and rivals of President Mohammed Morsi
In a joint news conference, Mohamed ElBaradei, Amr Moussa and other leading figures of the opposition National Rescue Front said they held Mohamed Morsi fully responsible for the violence.
“Our opinion was, and still is, that we are ready for dialogue if the constitutional decree is cancelled … and the referendum on this constitution is postponed,” said Mohamed ElBaradei.
“The revolution did not happen for this. It happened for freedom, democracy and human dignity.
“Morsi must listen to the people, whose voice is loud and clear. There is no legitimacy in excluding the majority of the people,” he said.
Speaking on Wednesday, Vice-President Mahmoud Mekki said the vote on the draft constitution was still scheduled for 15 December, but that the “door for dialogue” remained open, indicating that changes could be made to the document later.
Critics say the draft was rushed through parliament without proper consultation and that it does not do enough to protect political and religious freedoms and the rights of women.
The draft added to the anger generated by Mohamed Morsi passing a decree in late November which granted him wide-ranging new powers.
Four of Mohamed Morsi’s advisers resigned on Wednesday in an apparent protest. Three others did so last week and Egypt’s Mena news agency reported a further resignation on Thursday.
In his news conference, broadcast earlier on state television, Mahmoud Mekki said there was “real political will to pass the current period and respond to the demands of the public”.
But he said there “must be consensus” on the constitution, and that “the door for dialogue is open for those who object to the draft”.
“I am completely confident that if not in the coming hours, in the next few days we will reach a breakthrough in the crisis and consensus,” he said.
The government has been speaking for some time about the need for dialogue, but has offered few concrete concessions which would end the crisis.
Mohamed Morsi adopted sweeping new powers in a decree on 22 November, and stripped the judiciary of any power to challenge his decisions.
Mohamed Morsi, who narrowly won Egypt’s first free presidential election in June, says he will give up his new powers once the new constitution is ratified.
[youtube 8KJ2nzLlfds]
Rival protesters in Egypt have clashed outside the presidential palace in Cairo, as unrest grows over a controversial draft constitution.
Petrol bombs were thrown and a number of people were injured, amid reports of shots being fired.
Supporters of President Mohamed Morsi dismantled tents set up outside the presidential palace by Morsi critics.
Vice-President Mahmoud Mekki has said a referendum on the draft will go ahead on 15 December despite the unrest.
But he indicated that changes could be made after the vote, saying the “door for dialogue” remained open.
He urged critics of the draft document to put their concerns in writing for future discussion.
Critics say the draft was rushed through parliament without proper consultation and that it does not do enough to protect political and religious freedoms and the rights of women.
The draft added to the anger generated by Mohamed Morsi passing a decree in late November which granted him wide-ranging new powers.
On Wednesday afternoon, supporters of Mohamed Morsi’s Muslim Brotherhood movement rallied outside the presidential palace, where the mainly secular opponents of the president were already staging a protest.
The pro-Morsi group chanted “The people want to cleanse the square” and “Morsi has legitimacy”, AFP news agency reported.
Stones and petrol bombs were thrown, before the Morsi supporters dismantled some of the tents set up by their opponents.
There were also reports of gunfire. Witnesses reported seeing a number of wounded people.
AFP said the anti-Morsi group had fled the area.
In a joint news conference, Mohamed ElBaradei, Amr Moussa and other leading opposition figures said they held Mohamed Morsi fully responsible for the violence.
Mohamed ElBaradei said they were “ready for dialogue, however we are ready to go to the streets”.
In a news conference broadcast earlier on state television, Mahmoud Mekki said there was “real political will to pass the current period and respond to the demands of the public”.
But he said there “must be consensus” on the constitution, and that “the door for dialogue is open for those who object to the draft”.
“I am completely confident that if not in the coming hours, in the next few days we will reach a breakthrough in the crisis and consensus,” he said.
He proposed that the opposition put their concerns about particular parts of the constitution into writing, but that this was “not a formal initiative but a personal idea”.
There are mixed messages coming from the government.
It has spoken about the need for dialogue for some time but has offered few concrete concessions which would end the crisis, he adds.
On Tuesday, tens of thousands of anti-Morsi demonstrators besieged the palace, clashing with police who fired tear gas.
Eighteen people were slightly injured in the brief burst of violence, the official Mena news agency reported.
At one point, the security forces issued a televised statement saying President Mohamed Morsi had left the building.
Many of those gathered outside the palace, in the suburb of Heliopolis, chanted slogans similar to those directed against the regime of former President Hosni Mubarak during the uprising in February 2011.
President Mohamed Morsi adopted sweeping new powers in a decree on November 22nd, and stripped the judiciary of any power to challenge his decisions.
Mohamed Morsi, who narrowly won Egypt’s first free presidential election in June, says he will give up his new powers once a new constitution is ratified.
[youtube agwko6jW6AI]
Egypt’s President Mohammed Morsi has said country’s new draft constitution will be put to a referendum on December 15th.
Mohammed Morsi made the announcement before the Islamist-dominated constituent assembly, which rushed to approve the document earlier in the week.
Both the draft constitution and a recent decree giving Mohammed Morsi sweeping new powers have prompted widespread protests by opponents of the president.
However, his Islamist supporters held their own demonstrations on Saturday.
After receiving a copy of the document, Mohammed Morsi called “all Egyptians to a referendum on the draft constitution on Saturday 15 December”.
If approved, the new text will overwrite all constitutional declarations – including Mohammed Morsi’s decree issued on the 22 November – and a new parliament should be elected within 60 days.
The constituent assembly voted on and passed all 234 articles during a marathon session that began on Thursday and continued through the night.
Egypt’s President Mohammed Morsi has said country’s new draft constitution will be put to a referendum on December 15th
Liberals, secularists and Christians walked out of the assembly saying the changes were being forced through.
“Morsi put to referendum a draft constitution that undermines basic freedoms and violates universal values. The struggle will continue,” key opposition figure Mohamed ElBaradei tweeted on Saturday.
Among the historic changes to Egypt’s system of government, the draft limits a president to two four-year terms. It also introduces some civilian oversight of the military.
The draft keeps in place an article defining “principles of Sharia”, or Islamic law, as the main source of legislation.
Earlier, tens of thousands of Islamist supporters of the president gathered outside Cairo University.
“The people support the president’s decision!” they chanted, while a banner read: “The people want the implementation of God’s law.”
[youtube 0_e_ULlEzPc]
The Muslim Brotherhood, Egypt’s main Islamist party, has called off a demonstration in Cairo, amid crisis over President Mohammed Mursi’s new decree.
The Muslim Brotherhood said it would not hold the protest on Tuesday, as originally planned, “to avoid clashes”.
Opponents of Mihammed Mursi and of the brotherhood have said they would hold their own protest against a decree giving the president sweeping powers.
Mohammed Mursi has been meeting senior judges in an effort to defuse the crisis.
Ahead of Monday’s meeting with members of the Supreme Judicial Council, he expressed confidence that a solution would be found.
“President Mursi is very optimistic that Egyptians will overcome this challenge as they have overcome other challenges,” spokesman Yasser Ali told reporters,
Later Yasser Ali said the president had reassured the judges that the scope of the decree would be confined to key matters of “sovereignty”.
There is no word so far from the judges.
Several prominent opposition leaders, including Nobel Peace Prize laureate Mohamed ElBaradei, have said they will not engage in dialogue with the president until he rescinds the measure, known as the constitutional declaration.
The decree, issued last week, says no authority can revoke presidential decisions.
There is a bar on judges dissolving the assembly drawing up a new constitution. The president is also authorized to take any measures to preserve the revolution, national unity or safeguard national security.
The decree has sparked violent protests in Cairo and across the country.
On Sunday teenager Islam Fathy Massoud died and 60 people were injured in clashes in the Nile Delta town of Damanhour between the president’s supporters and opponents.
His funeral was held on Monday, while in Cairo thousands of people marched through Tahrir Square for the funeral of another young activist killed in recent clashes with police.
Egypt’s stock market, which had seen a fall of almost 10% on Sunday, recovered some ground on Monday morning.
[youtube h8vznUtoH88]
Egypt’s stock market sees a plunge in its shares of almost 10% on Sunday, days after President Mohammed Mursi granted himself sweeping new powers.
Protests against Mohammed Mursi’s decision have continued in Cairo, while the Muslim Brotherhood is planning rallies backing him later.
Trading was suspended for 30 minutes as shares slumped in the first session since the president’s announcement.
But the slide continued as soon as share dealing resumed.
Renewed clashes broke out in Cairo on Sunday morning between protesters and security forces in a street leading to Tahrir Square. Trails of tear gas could be seen in the square itself.
Stones were thrown close to the US embassy, but because concrete blocks had been erected in the area the situation was less tense than before, Mena news agency reported.
The barriers had been put up to secure key Egyptian government and parliamentary buildings, Mena added.
According to President Mohammed Mursi’s decree, announced on Thursday, no authority can revoke presidential decisions.
There is also a bar on judges dissolving the assembly which is drawing up a new constitution.
Mohammed Mursi sacked chief prosecutor Abdel Maguid Mahmoud, who was first appointed by ex-president Hosni Mubarak.
Maguid Mahmoud’s replacement, Talaat Ibrahim, has been given the job of re-examining all investigations into the deaths of protesters when Hosni Mubarak was in power.
Egypt’s judges denounced the decree on Saturday as an “unprecedented attack” on the judiciary, and the Judges’ Club that represents them called for “the suspension of work in all courts and prosecution administrations”.
Twenty-two rights groups signed an open letter which said the president “has dealt a lethal blow to the Egyptian judiciary” and demanded that the decree should be revoked immediately.
Egypt’s stock market sees a plunge in its shares after President Mohammed Mursi granted himself sweeping new powers
Opposition politician Mohamed ElBaradei had earlier complained that the president had “usurped all state powers and appointed himself Egypt’s new pharaoh”.
But the president’s measures have also prompted his supporters to come out on to the streets and there were clashes on Saturday as pro-Mursi demonstrators tried to disrupt an emergency Judges Club meeting.
The Muslim Brotherhood, which backs Mohammed Mursi’s Freedom and Justice Party (FJP) party, has called for further demonstrations in support of the decree after sunset.
The Islamist movement has called for a one-million-man march to be held at Abdin Square on Tuesday.
President Mohammed Mursi’s decree:
- All investigations into killing of protesters or use of violence against them to be held again; trials of those accused also to be re-held
- All constitutional declarations, laws and decrees made since Mohammed Mursi assumed power cannot be appealed or cancelled
- Public prosecutor to be appointed by president for 4-year fixed term and aged at least 40
- Constituent assembly’s timeline for drafting new constitution extended by two months
- No judicial authority can dissolve constituent assembly or upper house of parliament (Shura Council)
- President authorized to take any measures to preserve revolution, national unity or safeguard national security
[youtube fbL_JE8brjo]
Mohammed Mursi, Egypt’s first democratically-elected president, has started forming a government, after promising to be a leader for all Egyptians.
World leaders have congratulated the Muslim Brotherhood’s candidate, who defeated ex-PM Ahmed Shafiq.
Mohammed Mursi could be sworn in on 30 June, although questions remain over the extent of his authority.
The ruling military council has taken control of many of the president’s powers and has dissolved parliament.
Mohammed Mursi on Monday moved to the presidential office to begin consultations on his cabinet.
Campaign spokeswoman Nermine Mohammed Hassan told Agence France-Presse: “He has already started with a list of names he is considering. He says he will declare the cabinet soon.”
Mohammed Mursi’s priorities will be the battered economy, a deteriorating security situation and the drawing up of the new constitution, correspondents say.
The cabinet appointed by the ruling military is expected to resign on Monday and assume caretaker duties, until Mohammed Mursi’s team takes office.
Mohammed Mursi, Egypt's first democratically-elected president, has started forming a government, after promising to be a leader for all Egyptians
It appears that Mohammed Mursi is having discussions with Nobel Peace Prize winner Mohamed ElBaradei for the role of prime minister, which would provide reassurance to non-Islamists.
Mohammed Mursi, 60, has promised to appoint a range of vice presidents and a cabinet of “all the talents”.
Shares on Egypt’s main EGX30 index soared on Monday in the first trading since the results were announced, sparking a half-hour suspension. The halt in trading is triggered by a mechanism designed to prevent market fluctuations greater than 5%.
Gains continued on the restart, with the EGX30 on the Egyptian Exchange closing 7.6% up.
In his victory speech on Sunday, Mohammed Mursi urged Egyptians “to strengthen our national unity” and promised an inclusive presidency.
“There is no room now for the language of confrontation,” he said, after the election authorities declared that he had won 51.73% in the 16-17 June presidential run-off.
On hearing the news of his victory, tens of thousands of Muslim Brotherhood supporters cheered in Cairo’s Tahrir Square, chanting, “Down with military rule!”.
Celebrations continued until the early hours of Monday morning, although some protesters remained in the square, saying they would not leave until parliament was reinstated.
Mohammed Mursi paid tribute to the protesters who died in last year’s uprising against former President Hosni Mubarak but also praised the role of Egypt’s powerful armed forces.
“The revolution goes on, carries on until all the objectives of the revolution are achieved and together we will complete this march,” he said.
He also said he would honor international treaties.
Field Marshal Mohamed Hussein Tantawi, Egypt’s military ruler, was among the first to congratulate him on his victory.
The question remains how much real power Mohammed Mursi will have when he swears the oath of office.
He will not have a sitting parliament or a permanent constitution to define his powers or duties.
And the Supreme Council of the Armed Forces (SCAF), which has led Egypt since last year’s revolution, has issued a series of recent decrees.
• The justice ministry gave soldiers the right to arrest civilians for trial in military courts until the ratification of a new constitution
• A decree was issued dissolving parliament after a court ruling that the law on elections to the lower house of parliament was invalid
• The SCAF granted itself legislative powers and reinforced its role in the drafting of a permanent constitution
• Field Marshal Tantawi announced the re-establishment of a National Defence Council, putting the generals in charge of Egypt’s national security policy
Because of the dissolution of parliament, it is unclear where the new president will take his oath of office.
The Muslim Brotherhood has been seeking a partial recall of parliament so that he is sworn in before MPs. However, the Mena news agency quoted a Muslim Brotherhood spokesman as saying the oath would be taken before the Supreme Constitutional Court.
Responding to Mohammed Mursi’s election, the White House called the result “a milestone for Egypt’s transition to democracy”.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said on Monday: “We expect to work together with the new administration on the basis of our peace treaty.”
There was confusion over an alleged interview quoted by Iran’s semi-official Fars news agency. Fars said Mohammed Mursi planned to expand relations with Iran to “create a balance of pressure in the region”, but his spokesman denied the interview had taken place.
