BICOM

Egyptian President Mohammed Morsi yesterday declared a state of emergency in three cities following a weekend of violence and protests against his rule, which have reportedly resulted in around fifty deaths.

Protests began on Thursday evening in the country’s capital Cairo and in Suez and Ismailia to coincide with the second anniversary of the popular uprising that led to the ousting of former-president Hosni Mubarak. The protests turned violent by Friday with clashes between security forces and protestors who believe that since his election in June, Morsi has ruled in the interests of his Muslim Brotherhood faction rather than the country as a whole. Large-scale protests against Morsi also occurred in November after he appeared to grant himself extra-judicial powers and subsequently pushed through a referendum on a controversial new constitution.

The unrest was compounded over the weekend by deadly clashes in Port Said, after a court passed the death sentence on 21 men found guilty of attacking and killing 74 rival supporters at a football match last year. The sentences triggered mass protests in Port Said as protestors attempted to storm the prison and subsequent clashes killed 30 people. Thousands attended the funerals of those killed yesterday, which also turned violent.

Yesterday evening, President Morsi delivered a televised address, announcing a state of emergency for thirty days in Port Said, Suez and Ismailia, including a curfew and permitting security forces to arrest and detain at will. Morsi said, “I have said I am against any emergency measures but I have said that if I must stop bloodshed and protect the people then I will act.”

Alistair Burt, minister for the Middle East said, “We call on all parties to exercise maximum restraint and to ensure that all protests remain peaceful.”