A Cairo court on Wednesday referred 23 activists to a misdemeanour court on charges of violating the country's protest law.

The defendants were arrested last Saturday during a rally organised to denounce the very same law which led to their arrest.

The protest was eventually dispersed by the police, with several activists arrested.

Issued last November by interim authorities, the protest law bans all demonstrations that have not obtained a permit from the police in advance.

Several activists from the January 2011 revolution are currently serving sentences or facing trials for breaching the law. Local and international rights groups have repeatedly called for its amendment.

Hundreds of Islamists have also been imprisoned on charges of violating the new law.

Earlier this month, a Cairo court accepted an appeal against the protest law and referred the case to the Supreme Constitutional Court.