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Egyptian Islamists rally for Morsi

Islamist lawmakers in Egypt’s disbanded upper house of parliament demanded yesterday that the army reinstate ousted President Mohammed Morsi and called on other legislatures around the world not to recognize the country’s new, military-backed leadership.

Morsi’s supporters, including his Islamist allies, remain steadfast in their rejection of the popularly supported military coup that toppled Morsi nearly two weeks ago.

They have staged a series of mass protests in Cairo to push their demands, and are vowing to stay in the streets until Morsi is returned to office.

Speaking at a rally staged by Morsi’s Muslim Brotherhood in Cairo, two dozen former parliamentarians accused the military of attempting to restore a “corrupt and dictatorial” regime.

Morsi was Egypt’s first freely elected president, succeeding strongman Hosni Mubarak, who was himself toppled in 2011.

The military, which ousted Morsi after millions of protesters took to the streets calling for his removal, has brushed aside the Brotherhood’s demands, while the new army-backed administration of interim President Adly Mansour has forged ahead with a swift timetable to amend the now-suspended constitution, drafted under Morsi, and to hold parliamentary and presidential elections by early next year.