Cairo-Egypt government on Saturday has told the Turkish ambassador to leave the country and downgrade relations between the two countries.

 Cairo's decision to expel Ambassador Huseyin Avni Botsali comes a day after Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan called for the release of Mr Morsi.

According to a statement from the ministry, Turkey's diplomatic representation has been lowered to the level of charge d'affaires.

While speaking, Egypt's Foreign Ministry spokesman Badr Abdelatty said Turkey was "attempting to influence public opinion against Egyptian interests, supported meetings of organisations that seek to create instability in the country".

Relations between Egypt and Turkey have deteriorated since July, as the two countries recalled their ambassadors following the violent dispersal of pro-Morsi protest camps in August.

Turkey's ambassador to Cairo returned in September, but the Egyptian ambassador to Turkey was never reinstalled.

Egypt has been in turmoil since Mr Morsi was deposed in July.

Thousands of Muslim Brotherhood members have been detained in a crackdown the interim authorities have portrayed as a struggle against "terrorism".

Hundreds of people have also been killed in clashes with security forces.

Turkey has been a vocal critic of Mr Morsi's removal and the military's actions, describing it as an "unacceptable coup". Mr Erdogan, like Mr Morsi, has his roots in political Islam.