Fifty Egyptian human rights groups yesterday called on President Hosni Mubarak to "step down to avoid bloodshed," on the eighth day of anti-government protests that have left at least 125 people dead.

In a statement, the rights groups call for "parliamentary and presidential elections to be held within six months under the supervision of the judiciary."

Among the statement's signatories are Egypt's main human rights groups, including the Cairo Institute for Human Rights Studies, the Centre for Economic and Social Rights and the Arab Centre for the Independence of the Judiciary.

The groups also called for "a new constitution formulated by a a commission representing all parties and political groups as well as civil society."