A court in Egypt has banned the Muslim Brotherhood and ordered its assets confiscated.
Presiding Judge Mohammed al-Sayed on September 23 banned the Muslim Brotherhood "and all the activities that it participates in and any organization derived from it."
The ruling comes amid an escalation of a crackdown by Egypt's military-backed government against supporters of the ousted Islamist President Muhammad Morsi.
The ban, which can be appealed, empowers the authorities to track down the Muslim Brotherhood's elaborate network of charities, which is seen as a blow to its grassroots support.
The movement was outlawed for most of its 85 years in existence.
It was only allowed to work openly after the 2011 ouster of longtime Egyptian leader Hosni Mubarak.
The Muslim Brotherhood formed a political party and gained power in post-Mubarak elections in 2011 and 2012.
Presiding Judge Mohammed al-Sayed on September 23 banned the Muslim Brotherhood "and all the activities that it participates in and any organization derived from it."
The ruling comes amid an escalation of a crackdown by Egypt's military-backed government against supporters of the ousted Islamist President Muhammad Morsi.
The ban, which can be appealed, empowers the authorities to track down the Muslim Brotherhood's elaborate network of charities, which is seen as a blow to its grassroots support.
The movement was outlawed for most of its 85 years in existence.
It was only allowed to work openly after the 2011 ouster of longtime Egyptian leader Hosni Mubarak.
The Muslim Brotherhood formed a political party and gained power in post-Mubarak elections in 2011 and 2012.