Updated

Human Rights Watch has called on Egypt's military-backed government to immediately release from detention five aides of ousted Islamist President Mohammed Morsi.

The New York-based advocacy group said in a statement Sunday that the five have been held at an undisclosed destination since July 3, the day when the military ousted Morsi after millions demonstrated demanding he step down.

It said the five were among nine close Morsi aides detained on July 3. The other four have been transferred to regular prisons and are facing criminal charges.

According to HRW, the five still held at a secret location are: Essam el-Haddad, Morsi's top foreign policy adviser, Ayman Ali, who advised him on the affairs of Egyptian expatriates, aide Ayman el-Serafy, media adviser Abdel-Meguid el-Meshaly and foreign affairs aide Khaled el-Qazzaz.