Mass protests called against Egypt's new ‘pharoah’ President Morsi

Opposition leaders in Egypt today called for mass protests after President Mohammed Morsi passed a decree giving him absolute power.

The president was branded a “new pharoah” after unilaterally passing a decree that says his decisions cannot be challenged by any authority — including the judiciary.

Mr Morsi was basking in international praise for mediating a ceasefire between Israel and Hamas over the Gaza crisis. But his ruling is likely to fuel growing public fears that he and his Muslim Brotherhood party are seizing too much power.

The decree also opens the way for a retrial of people convicted of killings during last year’s uprising which toppled his predecessor, President Hosni Mubarak.

Mr Morsi’s critics denounced the move as a “coup against legitimacy” and urged the public to gather today in protest.

In a joint news conference yesterday, Sameh Ashour, head of the lawyers’ syndicate, and key opposition figures Mohamed ElBaradei and Amr Moussa said: “We are calling on all Egyptians to protest in all of Egypt’s squares on Friday.” They accused Mr Morsi of “monopolising all three branches of government” and overseeing “the total execution of the independence of the judiciary”.

Later, Mr ElBaradei tweeted: “Morsi today usurped all state powers & appointed himself Egypt’s new pharaoh. A major blow to the revolution that could have dire consequences.”

Mr Morsi framed his decree as necessary to protect the revolution and cement the nation’s transition to democratic rule.

Many activists, including opponents of the Muslim Brotherhood, criticise the judiciary as packed with judges and prosecutors sympathetic to Mr Mubarak.

Thousands from the rival camps were out on the streets of Cairo late last night. A crowd of Brotherhood supporters massed outside the supreme court building. A few blocks away near Tahrir Square, hundreds of demonstrators held a fourth day of protests against Mr Morsi and the Brotherhood.