In a message released from prison, Egypt's ousted Islamist president Mohamed Morsi has encouraged his supporters to protest against the "military coup", especially after the "coup leader" has become president.

 

The statement, published on Morsi's official Facebook page late on Wednesday, was Morsi's first since Abdel-Fattah El-Sisi was confirmed as the country's next president a day ago. 

 

El-Sisi, the former general and defence minister who led Morsi's popularly-backed removal nearly a year ago, won Egypt's presidential election last week by nearly 97 percent of the vote. His only rival, leftist politician Hamdeen Sabahi, claimed a humble 3 percent.

 

Morsi's statement was directed to Egyptian youth, asking them to continue their revolution that started on 25 January 2011.  

 

He also stressed that the aim of the revolution will never vanish as long as it exists by the efforts of the country's youth.

 

"I admit that I have made mistakes, but I assure you that I have never betrayed my country," he said..   

 

At the end of the message Morsi signed his full name, while writing beneath it "Republic of Egypt's President".

 

Morsi is currently in jail along with other prominent Muslim Brotherhood figures, most of whom are facing trials on charges ranging from espionage to inciting murder.