The Egyptian military prosecutor has extended the detention of journalist and human rights advocate Hossam Bahgat for four more days, as human rights groups worldwide call for his immediate release. Bahgat was arrested on Sunday after he received a summons order four days earlier.
The Prosecutor has filed chargers against Bahgat for creating and promoting "false news" which stems from the investigative report Bahgat published on the independent Egyptian online newspaper, Mada Masr in October. The article looked at what Bahgat called "the secret military trial of 26 army officers reportedly plotting a coup". If found guilty to creating false news the journalist could face up to 5 years in prison.
Since President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi came into government in 2013, Egypt has seen stricter regulations on journalists and press workers.
Middle east director Human rights watch, Sarah Leah Whitson urged on Monday that "Continuing to hold Hossam Bahgat or putting him on trial would be a definitive signal that Sisi and his government have no interest in rolling back the repression of the past two years."
Laura Bailey
Sources: Aljazeera, madamasr
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