Cairo: An Egyptian political party, founded by Nobel Peace Prize winner Mohammad Al Baradei, on Saturday evening announced it would boycott the country's forthcoming parliamentary election, the latest in opposition groupings to do this.
The liberal Al Destour (Constitution) attributed the move to what it called a "discouraging political atmosphere" and human rights abuses in Egypt.
Earlier this week, the leftist Socialist Popular Alliance said it would boycott the elections, due to begin in late March, in protest against the killing of its member Shaimaa Al Sabagh during a peaceful rally in Cairo last month.
Colleagues of Al Sabagh, a 32-year-old mother, have accused security forces of fatally shooting at her, an accusation denied by police.
"The continuation of grave human rights violations, which peaked in the martyrdom of Shaimaa Al Sabagh, and the continuing jailing of dozens of young members of secular parties deepen doubts that free parliamentary elections can be held," Al Destour said in a statement following a meeting.
The party's founder, Al Baradei, left Egypt in 2013 following a deadly crackdown by security forces on two protest camps held by backers of ousted Islamist president Mohammad Mursi.
Several pro-democracy activists have been put on trial and jailed in recent months in Egypt on charges of violating a disputed law that restricts street protests.
Authorities say the law is necessary to re-establish stability in the country after four years of unrest, which followed the uprising that toppled long-time president Hosni Mubarak.
Earlier this week, the moderate Islamist Strong Egypt Party, led by former presidential contender Abdul Moneim Abul Fetuh, said it would not participate in the elections, citing allegedly biased electoral laws and curbs on dissidents.
Egyptian government has repeatedly pledged to hold free and fair polls.
