Egypts army-backed government has continued its crackdown on the followers of ousted President Mohamed Morsis Muslim Brotherhood.On Tuesday, Minister of Endowments Mohamed Mokhtar Gomaa announced plans of banning 55,000 Muslim clerics from preaching in mosques.
Gomaa said the clerics lack licenses to preach and were regarded as a threat to the countrys security.
The ban is apparently aimed at neutralizing clerics who have spoken against the military coup that ousted Morsi, Egypts first democratically elected president, on July 3.
"The decision is only meant to legalize the preaching process during Fridays' mass prayers and make only those authorized to do it, do it, Gomaa also said.
The army forces under General Abdel Fattah Sisi have launched a bloody crackdown on Morsi supporters ever since his ouster and arrested more than 2,000 Brotherhood members.
Also on Tuesday, Amnesty International said the ouster of Morsi by Egyptian army has revealed an "extreme level of political violence."
"Between 14 and 18 August, at least 1,089 people were killed, many due to the use of excessive, grossly disproportionate and unwarranted lethal force by security forces," Amnestys Peter Splinter said.
Splinter added that the scale of human rights violations demands an immediate and independent inquiry.
UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Navi Pillay also called on Monday for an investigation into the killings.
"The path to stability in Egypt lies in its ability to establish the rule of law in an inclusive manner that ensures that all Egyptians, irrespective of their political opinion, gender, religion, or status, are recognized as legitimate stakeholders in the future of their country," she said.
By Press TV
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