Egypt opposition party decries 'campaign of arrests'

An Egyptian opposition party founded by Nobel laureate Mohamed ElBaradei denounced Saturday a "campaign of arrests" targeting its members after criticising a bid to extend the president's powers.

The Constitution Party was created in 2012 by ElBaradei, former head of the UN's nuclear watchdog. Earlier this month, the party declared its "categorical rejection" to changes that would allow Abdel Fattah al-Sisi to stay in power once his second term ends in 2022.

The Constitution Party has "been subjected to a crackdown and continued arrests", it wrote on its official Facebook page, adding that four of its members have been arrested "in the past 48 hours".

Other members faced "security restrictions", the party said, calling on the authorities to "stop these violations and repressive practises". Security sources told AFP they had "no information" on the crackdown.

Egypt's parliament last week gave preliminary approval to several constitutional amendments, one of which calls for extending the president's term in office from four years to six.

Rights groups have denounced the proposed changes, with Human Rights Watch saying they would grant "the armed forces authority to intervene in government".

Those backing the reforms say they are necessary for Egypt to maintain stability. Sisi led the army's overthrow of longtime president Hosni Mubarak's successor, Mohamed Morsi, in 2013 following mass protests against the Islamist leader's rule.

The former army chief won his first term as president the following year and was reelected in March 2018 with over 97 percent of the vote. The parliament's legislative committee must now draft a law to put before a parliamentary vote.