Renowned feminist, psychologist and writer, Nawal El Saadawi joins us in our firehouse studio to discuss Egypt's recent constitutional amendments, the Muslim Brotherhood and she is facing a political and religious campaign mounted against her by the authorities at Al Azhar. [includes rush transcript]

In Egypt, voter turnout for a controversial referendum on amendments to the country's constitution was just five percent, according to human rights groups - far lower than the 27 percent reported by the government. Last month's vote was boycotted by opposition groups, including the Muslim Brotherhood.

While the Egyptian government billed the amendment package as a democratic reform, the changes are widely seen as securing President Hosni Mubarak's hold on power. The amendments add powers to the Constitution that would allow the president to more easily dissolve Parliament and give him free reign to suspend civil liberties and imprison anyone deemed a terrorism threat. The changes also ban political activity based on religion and water down judicial supervision of elections. Amnesty International described the amendments as "the greatest erosion of human rights in 26 years."

Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice was in Egypt meeting with President Mubarak a day before the referendum. Rice was not highly critical of the changes. She said, "The process of reform is one that is difficult. It's going to have its ups and downs." Egypt receives just under two billion dollars a year in aid from the United States.

Joining us today in one of Egypt's most renowned human rights activists. Nawal El Saadawi is a well-known feminist, psychologist and writer. A former political prisoner in Egypt, she lived in exile for years due to numerous death threats made by several organizations. Nawal El Saadawi joins us in the firehouse studio.

• Nawal El Saadawi, renowned human rights activist, feminist, psychologist and writer.