DHAKA: More than 20 Egyptian rights groups have called on President Mohammed Mursi to withdraw the decree granting himself extensive new powers.
The 22 groups signed an open letter saying the president "has dealt a lethal blow to the Egyptian judiciary".
Opposition politician Mohamed ElBaradei has said there could be no dialogue with Mr Mursi while the decree, announced on Thursday, was in force.
According to the decree, no authority can revoke presidential decisions.
It includes a bar on dissolving the assembly drawing up a new constitution.
"These actions undermine the rule of law and the pillars of justice and exploit presidential powers to protect the interests of a particular political group," said signatories to the letter posted on the Cairo Institute for Human Rights website.
"The president, who now possesses authorities beyond those enjoyed by any president or monarch in Egypt`s modern history, has dealt a lethal blow to the Egyptian judiciary, thereby declaring the beginning of a new dictatorship in which it is not permitted to oppose the president, criticize his policies, or challenge his decisions."
The announcement of the decree sparked angry demonstrations and attacks on offices of Mr Mursi`s Islamist Freedom and Justice Party (FJP) party.
Critics and supporters of Mr Mursi have staged rallies since the decree was announced, with both sides planning rival demonstrations for Tuesday.
The Muslim Brotherhood, the Islamist movement that backs the FJP, has called for demonstrations across Egypt later on Sunday, reports say.
Source: BBC
BDST: 1133 HRS, NOV 25, 2012
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