CAIRO – Egypt’s Muslim Brotherhood failed in an attempt on Wednesday, Nov. 6, to overturn a court ruling banning it, the state news agency said, another blow to the debilitated Islamist movement.

A court in September had outlawed the Brotherhood after the army overthrew President Mohamed Morsi in July following mass protests against his rule.

The case against Brotherhood was brought by a lawyer from the leftist Tagammu party, which cited the need to protect Egyptians from violence.

It accompanied a campaign by security forces to crush the movement in which hundreds of its members have been killed, thousands arrested, and its leaders, including Morsi, put on trial.

Wednesday’s decision was another political blow to the group as it would compromise its participation in any new elections.

“In its scheduled session today, the Cairo Urgent Cases court dismissed an appeal raised by the Muslim Brotherhood to stop the execution of the previous order banning the activities of the group,” state news agency MENA reported.

Defense lawyer Faisal el-Sayyed, a Brotherhood member, said he would appeal the ruling.

“We will appeal again and again until we banish this law,” he told Reuters.

“Unfortunately we are working in a time when there is little respect for the law. But we still have a hint of hope in the law and that we can overcome this legally.”

Since Morsi’s overthrow, state media has lionized the military and police for the crackdown and his supporters frequently protest in the streets.

The military-installed government has promised new elections next year which foreign governments say must include all political factions to mark a credible return to democracy.

The court ruling indicated the Brotherhood was likely to be excluded.