Egyptian opposition leader Ayman Nour leaves Lebanon following 'threats'

The former Egyptian MP and opposition leader Ayman Nour has announced he was leaving Beirut to Europe via Turkey after receiving assassination threats in Lebanon, according to statements he made on his Facebook page and Twitter account.

— Ayman Nour (@AymanNour) July 7, 2015 " style="color:#fff;" class="twitter-post-link" target="_blank">Twitter Post After Refusing to renew my passport Lebanon authorities told me there is danger for life I decided to leave to Turkey then Europe — Ayman Nour (@AymanNour) July 7, 2015

"Leaving Lebanon was not based on a request by Lebanese authorities or political parties", he explained, adding that he had "strong relations and mutual respect with all Lebanese political parties".

The Egyptian Al-Ahram newspaper had previously reported that the founder of the Ghad al-Thawra liberal party had not had his residency permit renewed as he was wanted for alleged security reasons in Egypt.

In 2005, Nour ran for the presidency against President Hosni Mubarak, who was ousted by a popular revolution in January 2011, in Egypt's first multi-candidate presidential elections.

Leaving Lebanon was not based on a request by Lebanese authorities or political parties - Ayman Nour

However, after losing the elections to Mubarak, Nour was convicted on charges of forging election qualification petitions.

He was sentenced to five years in prison, of which he served three and a half years before Mubarak pardoned him for medical reasons in early 2009.

Nour attempted to run for the post-revolution 2012 presidential elections, but he failed to qualify.

In August 2013, Nour left Cairo reportedly after receiving warnings from "people close to the authorities in Egypt", informing him that the authorities were fed up with his opinions and positions against the military takeover of power, according to his statement at the time.

Nour left Beirut on Tuesday night and headed to Istanbul, where he will remain until the renewal of his passport. It is understood he will then head to Europe, where procedures are thought to be underway for him to take up legal residency.