CAIRO, Dec 20 (Aswat Masriya) - The Islamist Watan Party has called for boycotting the constitutional referendum set to take place on 14 and 15 January. 

The party took an initial decision to boycott the referendum yet added that its final decision will be announced in line with parties that form the National Coalition for Supporting Legitimacy, which backs ousted President Mohamed Mursi.

"The Egyptian (political) environment is not in its normal state and is neither fit for the democratic process nor for constitution drafting," the party said in a statement on its Facebook page.

There are no clear criteria for the referendum, the statement added.

The party criticised the constitution written by the 50-member committee on grounds that the committee was unelected and it approved the trial of civilians before military courts, which paves the way for a military state.

The Watan Party was formed by a group of dissidents of the Salafi Nour Party, the second largest Islamist party in Egypt.

The party is led by ex-Nour head Emad Abdel Ghafour, a former aide of the deposed president.