Muslim Brotherhood members gather in front th
Muslim Brotherhood members gather in front thAFP photo

Egypt’s Muslim Brotherhood appealed on Monday a court verdict ordering the seizing of the group’s funds by the interim government, Egyptian news source Ahram Online reported. 

The lawsuit, which was filed by the group’s legal representative Othman El-Khateeb with the administrative court, also challenges the establishment of a panel to administer its frozen assets until an appeal has been heard on the ruling.

The verdict, issued on September 23rd by a Cairo court for urgent matters, banned the Muslim Brotherhood and its NGO, leaving the Islamist group with no legal status.

The Brotherhood has existed outside of Egyptian law for decades and was only officially registered as an NGO in March 2013.

The group has criticized the verdict, saying it was issued by “an incompetent court,” and should have been dealt with by the administrative court.

The official appeal is against both Prime Minister Hazem El-Beblawi and Minister of Social Solidarity Ahmed El-Borai.

On September 24th, El-Borai said the interim government postponed dissolving the Muslim Brotherhood until all litigation measures against members of the group are finalized.

Egyptian authorities launched a crackdown against the Brotherhood following the ousting of former president Mohamed Morsi - who hails from the group - this past July.

The group's Supreme Guide Mohamed Badie, Deputy Supreme Guide Khairat El-Shater, and senior member Mohamed El-Beltagy are among hundreds of Brotherhood members and leaders who have been detained and face charges including incitement of violence against their opponents.

Egyptian prosecutors froze the assets of several senior Brotherhood leaders and other prominent Islamists in July as part of ongoing investigations into charges of incitement of violence at protests.

On Sunday, 51 protesters died and more than 246 people were wounded during the day as Egyptian security forces clashed with supporters of ousted former President Mohammed Morsi. 

Egypt’s Interim President Adly Mansour has also called on Egyptians to take to the streets. In a televised speech on Saturday he said that authorities will “defeat much-hated terrorism and blind violence with the rule of law that will protect the freedom of citizens and resources.”