Egyptian authorities have detained President Mohamed Mursi for 15 days over an array of accusations, including killing soldiers and conspiring with the Palestinian group Hamas, the state news agency said on Friday.

The report came just hours before millions of Egyptians were expected to take to the streets in mass rallies for and against Egypt’s first freely elected leader, who was ousted by the military on July 3.

Mursi has been held by the military since his downfall, but until Friday’s step by an investigating judge, he had not faced any formal legal measures. The charges relate to his escape, along with other top Brotherhood leaders, from a prison north of Cairo.

The report on the state news agency said investigating judge Hassan Samir had confronted Mursi with evidence during his questioning. It did not say when or where he had been questioned.

A spokesman for the Muslim Brotherhood, which says the army has staged a coup against the democratically elected head of state, described the accusations as “ridiculous”. Gehad El-Haddad said they marked the return of the “old regime”.

Mursi and many other Brotherhood leaders were rounded up by the authorities during the 2011 uprising that swept Hosni Mubarak from power.

The accusations listed against Mursi included arson, destruction of prison records and “collaboration with Hamas to undertake aggressive acts in the country, attacking police facilities, officers and soldiers”.

It also accused him of “killing some prisoners, officers and soldiers deliberately and with prior intent”. It added the accusation of “kidnapping some officers and soldiers”.

The prosecutor has issued a gag order stipulating the media may only publish his statements on the case, citing the secrecy of the investigations and “national security.

Brotherhood dismisses charges

Egypt’s Muslim Brotherhood dismissed as “ridiculous” accusations leveled by the authorities on Friday against deposed President Mohamed Mursi that included killing soldiers and conspiring with the Palestinian group Hamas.

“They are not taken seriously at all. We are continuing our protests on the streets. In fact we believe that more people will realize what this regime really represents – a return of the old state of Mubarak, with brute force,” Brotherhood spokesman Gehad El-Haddad said.