Egyptian court upholds ban on Muslim Brotherhood activities

 

 An Egyptian court has upheld a ban on the activities of theMuslim Brotherhood, the official news agency MENA reported Wednesday.

The 85-year-old group can file a new appeal of a September 23 court ruling that banned its activities and froze its financial assets.

The Muslim Brotherhood had supported Mohamed Morsy,who became the country's first democratically elected president when he took office in June 2012 after being elected by a narrow margin to a four-year term. That term was cut short when he was deposed last July in a military coup.

The military said he was a tyrant trying to impose conservative values. Supporters, including the Muslim Brotherhood, have said the coup was a power grab by the military and elements of the regime of longtime strongman Hosni Mubarak.

Since Morsy's ouster, the ruling powers have cracked down on the Islamic political organization, arresting many of its leaders.