: Morsi ousted, constitution suspended, army in control
Published time: July 03, 2013 19:09
Edited time: July 03, 2013 22:36
Edited time: July 03, 2013 22:36
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Morsi has moved to an "undisclosed location," a presidential aide told AP. Morsi stated that he does not recognize the "military coup" and called on Egyptians to stand against it.
Pres. Morsy urges civilians and military members to uphold the law & the Constitution not to accept that coup which turns #Egypt backwards"The address of the president yesterday did not meet the demands of the masses of the people," Sisi said adding the military held talks with various groups throughout Wednesday to work out a roadmap "putting an end to the state of division."
— Egyptian Presidency (@EgyPresidency) July 3, 2013
"The military's roadmap consists of dissolving the constitution and holding early presidential elections," Sisi continued. He called for a panel would review the constitution and a national reconciliation committee which would include youth movements. He said the roadmap had been approved by a range of political groups.
The time frame of the presidential and parliamentary elections will be determined by an interim administration, the spokesman told Reuters.
Egypt's Pope Tawadros, head of the Coptic Orthodox Church of Egypt, says the roadmap ensures security for all Egyptians and offers political vision, local media reported.
Egyptian opposition leader Mohamed El-Baradei said the Arab Spring revolution has been relaunched by the announcemend of the army-sponsored roadmap.
He added that the roadmap met demands for early presidential demands as called for by the liberal coalition. Egypt’s second largest Islamist group, the Nour Party, has also agreed to the army’s roadmap.
Judge Adly Mansour, formerly the vice president of Egypt’s High Constitutional Court (HCC), was named the new head of that judicial body on Sunday.
According to the army’s transitional plan the head of the constitutional court is now appointed as the interim head of state. Reuters reports he will be sworn into the post on Thursday.
There have been multiple reports of police arresting crews of local TV stations that are affiliated with the Muslim Brotherhood. Shadi Hamid, an Egypt analyst with the Brookings Institution, says that staff of Brotherhood-associated Misr 25 have been arrested.
In his first decision following Morsi's ouster, Egyptian Interior Minister Mohamed Ibrahim moved to close all “religious channels,” which include the Salafi oriented Al-Nas and Al-Hafez channels, reports the Egypt Independent.
Details of the army’s transitional plan published by Al Ahram include the potential house arrest of key figures of the Muslim Brotherhood.
The Egyptian television station for the Muslim Brotherhood was knocked off air late Wednesday, with its management arrested just hours after the army made its announcement to oust Morsi, according to state news agency MENA.
Misr 25 had been broadcasting coverage pro-Morsi rallies attended by tens of thousands in Cairo and throughout Egypt, as well as speeches by leading Brotherhood figures denouncing the military intervention, says Reuters.
President Morsi’s office has released a statement in response to his removal by Egypt’s armed forces.
“Dr. Mohamed Morsi, President of Egypt, emphasizes that the measures declared by the Chief Command of Armed Forces represent a military coup d’état, which we categorically reject, in whole or part by all the honest honorable men who struggled for the transformation to democracy. The president stresses, in his capacity as the president of the republic and chief commander of armed forces, that all the citizens, civilians and militarians, leaders and soldiers, are required to adhere to the Constitution and law; not to respond to this coup which will throw Egypt back to the dark ages; and to maintain peaceful behaviors and avoid bloodshed.”
Similar statements were made via Morsi’s official Twitter feed, rejecting the army’s actions and calling for peaceful acts.
The US ordered a mandatory evacuation of its embassy on Wednesday, and announced a travel advisory for all citizens.
The State Department advised Americans "to defer travel to Egypt and US citizens living in Egypt to depart at this time because of the continuing political and social unrest" and called for "the departure of non-emergency US government personnel and family members from Egypt due to the ongoing political and social unrest."
Meanwhile, an Egyptian security official in the border area with Israel, speaking on condition of anonymity, has confirmed that about 50 tanks were deployed in the area overnight.
Though there have been reports of mass celebrations in Cairo and throughout Egypt, there have also been clashes between Morsi supporters and security forces in the northern city of Marsa Matrouh. Governor Badr Tantawi has told Reuters that four people had been killed in that city so far, all thought to be Morsi supporters, while 13 had been injured.
Islamist supporters of Morsi also smashed shop windows in Alexandria’s Miami district, and were preventing residents from celebrating Morsi’s removal.
Fireworks have been set off over Cairo's Tahrir Square and across the city in celebration.
"The people and the army are one hand," protesters cheered in the square amid roars of horns and chanting, a witness told Reuters.
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