Potential presidential candidate Mohamed ElBaradei accused television authorities of preventing his appearance on a show hosted by well-known Islamic preacher Amr Khaled that was scheduled to air on Egyptian state TV.
ElBaradei accused the authorities of adopting the same policy of suppression followed under former President Hosni Mubarak. On his Twitter account on Tuesday, ElBaradei wrote, “The policy of censure and vilification continues.”
The episode, titled "A Road Map for an Egyptian Renaissance," was scheduled to broadcast on Thursday night on Channel 2. ElBaradei was banned from appearing on local television channels while Mubarak was still in office.
Supporters of ElBaradei created a Facebook page, saying that preventing him from appearing on local TV is a sign that the same officials from Mubarak's regime have remained in their positions.
Approximately 1000 people have joined the page, which calls for a protest in front of Egyptian Radio and Television Union from 5 pm on Thursday until the show is aired at 10 pm.
According to the group, the members do not know ElBaradei in person, nor are they connected to another Facebook group supporting his presidential bid.
"ElBaradei is one of the honest people in this country and one of his simplest rights is to appear on Egyptian TV," the page read.
They said they would stage their sit-in until ElBaradei is allowed into the television building.
Translated from the Arabic Edition
