Brotherhood set to boycott referendum

Egypt’s Muslim Brotherhood-led anti-coup alliance says it will boycott a forthcoming referendum on the country’s newly-amended constitution.

On Monday, Egypt’s anti-coup alliance said in a statement that it would boycott the upcoming referendum on the new constitution.

The alliance which is made up of supporters of deposed president, Mohammed Morsi, says it rejects any vote under military rule.

The group has also pledged to organize a campaign against the vote.

This comes as Egypt prepares for a referendum on the country’s new constitution in mid-January. The vote will be the first measure of support for the military’s ouster of Egypt’s first democratically-elected president.

The new constitution was drafted after military-installed authorities revised the one written during the Morsi era.

Many are critical of the new law saying it retains the powers and privileges of the military. Commentators say the new constitution helps the Egyptian military to tighten its grip on power as it allows for the trial of civilians in military courts and contains a provision that could lead to an outright ban on Islamic parties.

The constitution makes illegal the formation of religious parties, as well as all activities carried out by those parties.

The Muslim Brotherhood has repeatedly rejected the draft charter together with the rest of the army-led transition plan, calling it a product of a military coup.

The group also says that the constitution runs contrary to the objectives of the 2011 revolution that ended decades of rule by former dictator, Hosni Mubarak.

Tensions in Egypt have been running high since Morsi was ousted on July 3. Hundreds have lost their lives in the ensuing violence across the country.