Egypt revolutionary forces denounce constitutional rulings, call for protests

April 6 and revolutionary youth groups call for Friday demos against controversial High Constitutional Court rulings on parliament, 'political disenfranchisement'

Egyptian revolutionary groups reacted angrily to Thursday's High Constitutional Court (HCC) rulings on the Political Disenfranchisement Law and the dissolution of parliament.
In a Friday statement, the April 6 Youth Movement slammed the decision to dissolve Egypt's first post-Mubarak parliament.
The movement described parliament as the only post-revolution institution chosen by the Egyptian people via free and transparent elections, stressing that no one had the authority to violate the public mandate it had received at the ballot box.
The movement went on to the blame Egypt's political forces – especially the Muslim Brotherhood – for impeding Egypt's revolution by condoning decisions issued by the ruling Supreme Council of the Armed Forces (SCAF), approving last year's constitutional declaration and remaining divided among themselves.
The prominent youth movement also commented on the HCC's verdict finding Egypt's Political Disenfranchisement Law unconstitutional, stressing that the law derived its legitimacy from the revolution, which bans all political figures that served the Mubarak regime from the political stage, including presidential finalist Ahmed Shafiq.
"We will not recognise Shafiq's legitimacy or the legitimacy of these elections," said Enjy Hamdy, a member of April 6's political bureau. "Where are the rights of the 30 million voters who participated in the parliamentary elections, only to see parliament dissolved and their rights ignored?"
April 6 General Coordinator Ahmed Maher asserted that the ruling SCAF was simply trying to hold on to power as long as possible in order to safeguard its personal interests. He added that Mubarak-linked elements, represented by Mubarak-era businessmen and the SCAF, were seeking to reanimate the former regime.
"Shafiq is the man for this mission," said Maher, adding that Shafiq would become president "over the dead bodies of the revolution's martyrs."
Revolutionary political forces, meanwhile, are planning a march on Friday at 5pm from Mostafa Mahmoud Mosque in Cairo's Mohandeseen district to the nearby Tahrir Square. Political forces participating in the march include April 6, the April 6 National Front, The Egyptian Current Party, the Youth for Justice and Freedom movement, the National Front for Justice and Democracy, the Popular Socialist Alliance Party, the Abdel-Moneim Abul-Fotouh presidential campaign, the Revolutionary Socialists and the Masrena movement.
In his Friday sermon, Mazhar Shahine – known as the "revolution's imam" – blamed differences among Egypt's revolutionary forces for the current crisis. He went on to say that revolutions cannot be measured by mere protester numbers, but rather by its objectives and the degree to which forces and people are able to unite to achieve those objectives.
Political forces demanded the application of the Political Disenfranchisement Law on Shafiq, who will face Muslim Brotherhood candidate Mohamed Morsi in a presidential runoff slated for 16 and 17 June.
After noon prayers on Friday, hundreds protested against Thursday's court verdicts in several cities throughout the country, including Suez, Alexandria and Kafr Al-Zayat in the Nile Delta.
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