Egyptian human rights lawyer Khaled Ali announced on Monday that he would officially run for Egypt's presidency in 2018 against current President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi.

In a press conference held at the headquarters of Al-Dostour (Constitution) Party in Giza, opposition figure Ali declared that he has started a nationwide campaign to prepare for the upcoming presidential elections in 2018.

The 45-year old widower and father of two boys also provided a summary of his platform, which includes respect for the constitution, supporting private and public freedoms, freedom of information, equal rights for women and minorities, and ensuring fair and just transfers of political power.

The veteran leftist, however, will not be qualified to run in the upcoming elections if he loses his pending appeal against a three-months prison sentence handed to him in September for offending public decency.

The lawyer was charged with the crime after allegedly making the middle-finger hand gesture outside the State Council headquarters during a demonstration in January which celebrated a legal victory against the April 2016 Egypt-Saudi border demarcation agreement.

The appeals court's is set to hear Ali's appeal against the three-months sentence on 8 November.

Ali previously ran in the first round of the 2012 elections, but received only 134,056 votes.