Egypt’s media reports say the government’s decision to strip the Muslim Brotherhood of NGO status comes after a judicial order to ban the group.

An Egyptian court ordered the Brotherhood to stop operating and confiscated its assets last month. The court also banned any institution branching out from or belonging to the Muslim Brotherhood.

Egypt’s army-backed interim authorities have been tough on the group after the ouster of former president, Mohamed Morsi, in early July.

The court had recommended the government to form an independent committee to follow up on the implementation of the ruling.

Many believe the order paves the way for the army to arrest more pro-Muslim Brotherhood protesters.

The Muslim Brotherhood Society was founded earlier this year as an NGO with former Brotherhood leader, Mohammed Mahdi Akef, as its chairman. The society's leaders are not all from the Muslim Brotherhood or its Freedom and Justice Party.

The Brotherhood's Freedom and Justice Party won parliamentary and presidential elections after the country's dictator, Hosni Mubarak, was overthrown in 2011 revolution.

Egypt has witnessed soaring violence since July 3, when General Abdel Fattah al-Sisi, the head of the Egyptian army, pushed aside Morsi, the country's first democratically-elected president, and declared Chief Justice of Egypt’s Supreme Constitutional Court Adly Mansour as the interim president.

Hundreds of supporters of the group have been killed in clashes with army since then. Also, on Sunday, at least 57 people died in clashes between security forces and Morsi supporters.

SHI/SHI