Nobel peace prize winner warns of violence

One of Egypt's leading democracy advocates has slammed recent elections as a farce and warned about the possibility of violence if authorities try to suppress popular rallies for reform.

By The Newsroom

Published 28th Feb 2019, 14:03 GMT

Mohamed El Baradei - the 2005 Nobel Peace Prize laureate who has been at the helm of a burgeoning opposition movement in Egypt - also reiterated his call for a boycott of next year's presidential elections.

"We should not be part of a farce," the former head of the UN's nuclear watchdog said in a video message to supporters. "I hope you boycott elections by not running or voting."

"The regime must understand that it is our right to march in peaceful demonstrations to demand change. It must understand, if we are prevented, we will resort to peaceful civil disobedience," he said, adding that, "if we are not allowed, the Egyptian people will have no choice but - I hope this will not happen - there will be violence."

Observers accuse the authorities of manipulating the 28 November balloting through vote-rigging and violence.