39: Capture the castle

On this week’s podcast, Issandr and Ursula are joined by Human Rights Watch’s Heba Morayef and The Economist’s Max Rodenbeck to try to ascertain which of the developments of the last week we find the most disturbing: Morsi’s extraordinary new powers? The Muslim Brotherhood’s aping of Mubarak-era tactics? A rushed constitution with major contradictions, ambiguities and curbs on freedoms? The stark political polarization? Take your pick.

Show notes

• Text of Morsi’s November 22 decree
• Partial translation of the new draft constitution
• Human Rights Watch on the constitution
• The BBC compares Egypt’s old and new constitutions
• The Economist on Morsi’s Mubarak-like tendencies Morsi’s August 12 Decree
• Muslim Brotherhood website: Constitutional Court Plans to Demolish State
• Issandr on Egypt’s missing consensus
• Nathan Brown on the Brotherhood’s judicial paranoia