An Egyptian court has ordered freezing of the assets belonging to the top Muslim Brotherhood leaders as the country’s army-backed government steps up its clampdown on the movement.

The court on Tuesday ordered sanctions against Muslim Brotherhood’s supreme leader, Mohamed Badie, his two deputies, Khairat el-Shater and Rashad Bayoumi, as well as Salafi leader, Hazem Salah Abu Ismail, and preacher Safwat Higazi, AFP reported.

The five are currently in prison awaiting trial on charges of inciting violence and the murder of protesters opposed to deposed president, Mohamed Morsi.

Around 15 politicians have already had their assets frozen as part of a crackdown on the Muslim Brotherhood and its supporters, which escalated after protests against the military’s ouster of Morsi on July 3 flared across Egypt.

On August 14, police and troops attacked two large pro-Morsi protest camps in an operation that killed hundreds.

The massacre sparked international condemnation and prompted world bodies to call for an independent investigation into the violence.

The massacre was yet followed by a week of violence between Morsi supporters and security forces that claimed the lives of 1,000 people.

But the crackdown has failed to stop protests by demonstrators demanding the reinstatement of the country’s first democratically-elected president.