Egypt to lift curfew on November 14

Supporters of the Muslim Brotherhood and ousted Egyptian President Mohamed Morsi take part in a protest against the military and interior ministry in front of the Church of Virgin Mary in the southern suburb of Maadi, on the outskirts of Cairo November 1, 2013. [Photo/Agencies]

CAIRO - Egypt's interim government on Saturday decided to lift the nighttime curfew on November 14, state- run Ahram website reported.

The curfew, put in place more than two months ago in many parts of the country, will be lifted on November 14 following the end of the state of emergency, Minister of Higher Education Hossam Eissa said at a press conference.

However, all security measures across the country will not be changed, Eissa told reporters.

The military-backed government declared a one-month curfew along with a nationwide state of emergency on August 14, after the armed forces launched a crackdown on two major sit-ins of supporters of former President Mohamed Morsi.

The curfew on September 12 was extended for another two months over the country's continued security problems.

Morsi, the country's first democratically-elected president, was ousted on July 3 by the military responding to massive nationwide protests against his one-year rule. He has been detained in a secret location and faces charges of inciting violence and killing protesters while he was in office.

The curfew originally started from 7 pm to 6 am and has been shortened for several times by authorities.  

According to the constitutional declaration issued by interim President Adly Mansour, the emergency state can not be extended for more than three months unless it is approved by a national referendum.