CAIRO, June 19 (UPI) -- The Muslim Brotherhood said political actions taken by Egypt's ruling military council in Cairo amount to a coup against the revolution.
A court in Egypt last week ruled to dissolve the Parliament days before the country had a second round of voting to pick the first democratically elected president in Egyptian history.
Hours after polls closed Sunday, the ruling Supreme Council of Armed Forces issued a decree amending Egypt's Constitution to give the country's top generals many executive powers previously reserved for the president.
The Muslim Brotherhood, which emerged as a dominant political force after last year's revolution, issued a statement describing the military action as a coup.
"Ultimately, this announcement amounts to a total coup d'etat against constitutional, popular and revolutionary legitimacy," a statement read.
The Muslim Brotherhood said the constitutional declaration was beyond the authority of the ruling generals.
Meanwhile, an administrative court in Cairo is to hear a lawsuit that calls for the dismantling of the organization. The plaintiff in the case says the Muslim Brotherhood conducted political activity since the 1930s despite a ban, reports Egyptian news service al-Ahram.
The organization was founded in 1928. The Muslim Brotherhood in 2005 took 20 percent of the seats in Parliament by fielding its candidates as independents.
Mohammed Morsi, the candidate from the group's Freedom and Justice Party, and Ahmed Shafiq, a former air force general, have both issued claims of victory following the presidential elections.
