Shiloh
Editor, Senior Moderator
Source: https://www.middleeastmonitor.com/2...arrested-since-start-of-egypt-covid-pandemic/
9 journalists arrested since start of Egypt covid pandemic
June 23, 2020 at 4:07 pm | Published in: Africa, Coronavirus, Egypt,
Since the first official coronavirus case was announced in Egypt, at least nine journalists have been imprisoned, according to the Freedom Twitter account for political prisoners.
The reporters face fabricated charges and two were added to new cases despite already being in pretrial detention for two years.
Among the journalists is Mohamed Mounir who was arrested on 15 June and placed in pretrial detention for allegedly spreading false news, joining a terror group and misusing social media.
His arrest came after he appeared on Al Jazeera where he spoke in support of journalists working for the magazine Rose Al-Youssef which published an article criticising bishops for continuing to lead prayers despite instructions to stop amid virus preventative measures.
Also on the list is Haisam Hasan Mahgoub, a journalist at the independent Egyptian daily Al-Masry Al-Youm who was charged with joining and financing a terror group and spreading fake news.
The lengths Egyptian authorities have gone to to control the covid narrative became clear early on in the pandemic when scientists at the University of Toronto published a report indicating that there could be between 6,270 and 45,070 coronavirus cases in Egypt when official figures said there were just three...
9 journalists arrested since start of Egypt covid pandemic
June 23, 2020 at 4:07 pm | Published in: Africa, Coronavirus, Egypt,
Since the first official coronavirus case was announced in Egypt, at least nine journalists have been imprisoned, according to the Freedom Twitter account for political prisoners.
The reporters face fabricated charges and two were added to new cases despite already being in pretrial detention for two years.
Among the journalists is Mohamed Mounir who was arrested on 15 June and placed in pretrial detention for allegedly spreading false news, joining a terror group and misusing social media.
His arrest came after he appeared on Al Jazeera where he spoke in support of journalists working for the magazine Rose Al-Youssef which published an article criticising bishops for continuing to lead prayers despite instructions to stop amid virus preventative measures.
Also on the list is Haisam Hasan Mahgoub, a journalist at the independent Egyptian daily Al-Masry Al-Youm who was charged with joining and financing a terror group and spreading fake news.
The lengths Egyptian authorities have gone to to control the covid narrative became clear early on in the pandemic when scientists at the University of Toronto published a report indicating that there could be between 6,270 and 45,070 coronavirus cases in Egypt when official figures said there were just three...