In November 2020, a Cairo Criminal Court placed Abul-Fotouh and Abdel-Fattah along with 26 others on the state’s terror list for a five-year period in the case 1781/2019.

The list included El-Hassan Khairat El-Shater, who is the son of Khairat El-Shater, the former deputy supreme guide of the terrorist-designated Muslim Brotherhood.

In a document, the State Security Prosecution said the defendants in the 1781/2019 case are accused in other cases of various terror-related crimes including belonging to an outlawed group; inciting against the state; calling for suspending the constitution; attempting to overthrow the regime; threatening national security; and spreading chaos.

Under the anti-terrorism law, which went into effect in 2015, any person placed on the terror list is subject to a travel ban and having their assets frozen.

Today's decision of the Court of Cassation is final.

Abul-Fotouh, 70, who was arrested in February 2018, faces charges of assuming a leadership position in an outlawed group and committing a terror financing crime, said his lawyer, Khaled Ali, last August.

He is also accused of possessing weapons and ammunition, promoting the ideas of terrorist groups, and deliberately disseminating false news inside the country and abroad, Ali added.

Abul-Fotouh, who is the head of the Strong Egypt party, is a former long-time leading member of the Muslim Brotherhood. He quit the group in 2011 and ran for president as an independent in the 2012 elections.

Meanwhile, activist and blogger Abdel-Fattah, 40, who was arrested in September 2019, faces charges of spreading false news and assisting an outlawed group in the case 1356/2019.