Egyptian courts have banned all Muslim religious clothing, including the headscarf, as the country tries to curb violence in its Muslim majority.
The decree was issued Monday, three days after police shot dead three men at a mosque in Cairo and a mosque outside Cairo, killing three more.
The order applies to all public places in the country and includes bans on certain religious activities, including prayer, fasting and wearing the head scarf.
The decree was not immediately available from the government, but Egyptian media reported that it was made available through a decree on social media.
“It will ban all symbols of the faith and impose severe penalties on those who violate the law,” the decree said.
Egyptian President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi was inaugurated in July 2015, and his government has been under a military-backed government that has cracked down on demonstrations, especially the Brotherhood and its allies.
The Egyptian military has said it is waging a war on terror to prevent the Brotherhood, whose influence is growing, from infiltrating the state.