The constitution's articles include language dealing with individuals' civil rights, particularly how security forces and the justice system treat them.

There is wording prohibiting arbitrary arrest and detention and ensuring due process, a sensitive topic in Egypt. Mubarak and his supporters are blamed for jailing and harshly mistreating innocent people in the years before and especially during last year's uprising.

While many of the articles sound democratic, the fine print indicates otherwise, some human rights advocates say.

"Moving a flawed and contradictory draft to a vote is not the right way to guarantee fundamental rights or to promote respect for the rule of law," said Joe Stork, deputy Middle East and North Africa director at Human Rights Watch.

The preamble includes language pertaining to women, saying they are equal to men, but it also accentuates their role as mothers.

The United Nations' high commissioner for human rights, Navi Pillay, has urged Morsy to reconsider the draft, saying a number of measures contained in it are incompatible with international human rights law.

Opponents of Morsy said they were organizing another round of protests Tuesday against the president and his decree. The scheduled demonstrations are dubbed "the final warning."