This list includes the imprisoned journalists and the jailers of journalists and media professionals, both who are being held in remand detention and those who were handed down court rulings.
The imprisoned journalist: detained over cases related to his journalistic work
The jailer of journalists: detained over cases not related to his journalistic work, but works in the field of journalism
Media professionals: - who work in journalism and are held in pretrial detention or were handed down sentences.
1 - Bahaa Al-Din Ibrahim Neama-allah Al-Sayed, aka Bahaa Al-Din Ibrahim
Date of arrest :
February 2020
work place : Al-Jazeera news network
The security forces arrested the journalist in February 2020 from Borg El Arab Airport upon his return from his annual vacation. They took him to an unknown destination during which he was illegally detained for 75 days. On 6 May 2020, he appeared before the Supreme State Security Prosecution, which interrogated him in connection with Case No. 1365 of 2018 Supreme State Security, on charges of joining a group established in violation of the provisions of the law. The journalist was ordered detained since then.
2 - Abdel-Nasser Salama
Date of arrest :
18 July 2021
work place : Former chief editor of Al-Ahram newspaper
He was arrested from his house at dawn on 18 July 2021. The next day, 19 July 2021, he appeared before the Supreme State Security Prosecution which interrogated him on charges of: joining a terrorist group with knowledge of its purposes and committing a funding crime. Salama has been held in pretrial detention pending probes.
3 - Tawfik Abdel-Wahid Ibrahim Ghanem, aka Tawfik Ghanem
Date of arrest :
30 May, 2021
Place of detention :
The journalist was arrested from his house by the security forces on 21 May 2021. He was then taken to an unknown destination where he had been missing for 5 days, before he appeared before the Supreme State Security Prosecution on 26 May 2021. He was interrogated into the Case No. 238 of 2021 State Security on charges of joining a terrorist group. The Prosecution ruled to hold the journalist in pretrial detention.
4 - Hamdy Atef Abdel-Fattah
Date of arrest :
4 January 2021
work place : Al-Nabaa' newspaper, Al-Bayan and Masr El-Ekhbariya news websites
The security forces arrested Hamdy Abdel-Fattah from his house on 4 January 2021 and seized his phone. He was then taken to the National Security headquarters in Zefta before he was transferred to the National Security headquarters in Tanta, where he went missing for 6 days. Thereafter, on 11 January 2021, he appeared before the State Security Prosecution in connection with Case No. 1017 of 2020 State Security. He was investigated about the live video that he posted on his page on social media, along with a video, which he posted on the "The Republic of Zefta Every Day" Facebook page, a woman talking about the lack of oxygen at coronavirus isolation units in a hospital Zefta, which led to the death of her mother and 6 others.
5 - Abdallah Helmy Mohamed Khalil, AKA Abdallah Shusha
Date of arrest :
22 September 2013
work place : Amjad TV Channel
He was arrested on 22 September 2013 while he was covering a protest in Ismailia city. He was then transferred to the Public Prosecution and interrogated on charges of joining a terrorist group, protesting without a notice, inciting riots and the overthrow of the ruling regime in the case known in the media as "Fondness for Guevara". He had been held in pretrial detention until the Ismailia Court ordered, on 2 April 2019, his acquittal of the charges attributed to him.
Thereafter, the reporter had been subjected to enforced disappearance until he appeared on 20 July 2019 before the State Security Prosecution, which interrogated him in connection with Case No. 800 of 2019 State Security on charges of joining a terrorist group. He was then ordered to be held on remand pending the case.
6 - Medhat Ramadan Ali Barghout, aka Medhat Ramadan
Date of arrest :
28 May 2020
work place : Shababeek website
He was arrested from his family's house in Menoufia Governorate on 28 May 2020. The journalist had been missing for a month until he appeared on 27 June 2020 before the Supreme State Security Prosecution which interrogated him into the Case No. 680 of 2020 State Security on charges of: joining a terrorist group, spreading false news and information, and misusing social media. The journalist was then ordered detained pending the Case and has been held on remand since then.
7 - Mohamed Saied Fahmy
Date of arrest :
31 May 2018
work place : Al-Watan Qatari newspaper
- He was arrested on 31 May 2018. He had been missing for 45 days before he appeared before the State Security Prosecution for investigation in connection with Case No. 441 of 2018 State Security on charges of joining a terrorist group and spreading false news. The journalist had been held in remand detention until the Supreme State Security Prosecution ordered his release on 15 July 2020 after exceeding the two-year limit of pretrial detention. He was then transferred to the police station in preparation for his release. However, he went missing for 4 months until he appeared before the Agouza Prosecution on 18 November 2020, as he was then interrogated into the Case No. 2727 of 2020 Agouza Misdemeanor on a charge of joining a terrorist group. Fahmy had been kept in pretrial detention until he was ordered released on bail of EGP 5,000 on the first of December 2020. Accordingly, the journalist was transferred to the police station in preparation for his actual release, but he went missing once again for 45 days, and afterwards he appeared before the Supreme State Security Prosecution on 16 January 2021 and was then interrogated in connection with the Case No. 955 of 2020 State Security on a charge of joining a terrorist group and he has been held in pretrial detention since then.
8 - Ahmed Abo Zeid al-Tonobi
Date of arrest :
24 March 2020
work place : Al Diyar newspaper and Arab Observatory for Media Freedom
He was arrested from his house two months after his release order into the Case No. 977 of 2017 State Security, after exceeding the two-year pretrial detention limit prescribed by the Criminal Procedure Law. The journalist appeared before the Public Prosecution in Kafr Al-Sheikh governorate and was interrogated on a charge of joining a terrorist group. On 3 June 2020, Kafr Al-Sheikh Misdemeanor Court, convened at the counseling room, ordered his release under the guarantee of his place of residence guarantee. However, while implementing the release order proceedings, the journalist was informed that there is a default judgment issued in absentia against him over Case No. 18 of 2018 North Cairo Military Criminal, which is known in the media as "media committees in Sinai", and he was enabled to carry out all the legal proceedings with regard to the ruling. On 3 February 2021, the court sentenced the journalist to 1o years in high-security prison.
9 - Hesham Abdel-Aziz Gharib
Date of arrest :
20 June 2019
work place : Aljazeera Mubasher TV Channel
On 20 June 2019, the journalist and his family were arrested at Cairo airport, and their passports were withdrawn by officers of the National Security Apparatus before allowing them to leave the airport. When the journalist went to his home, he received a phone call from a National Security officer at Cairo airport asking him to come to the airport to take the passports. However, upon his arrival to the airport, he was taken to an unknown destination, where he remained missing until he appeared before Supreme State Security Prosecution for investigated into the Case No. 1365 of 2018, Supreme State Security, on charges of: joining a terrorist group and spreading false news and information. He had been kept in pretrial detention until he was ordered released on bail on 5 December 2019. The journalist was then transferred to the Hadaeq El-Kobba Police Station after paying the bail in preparation for his release. However, he has been illegally held in police custody for a month, and was brought again before the Supreme State Security Prosecution which interrogated him in Case No. 1956 of 2019 Supreme State Security on charges of joining a terrorist group and spreading false news. The journalist is now being held in remand detention.
10 - Hussein Ali Ahmed Karim
Date of arrest :
18 November 2020
work place : Freedom and Justice
He was arrested on 18 November 2020 near Sahel Al-Shamali on Egypt's northern coast, while on vacation with his wife and children. His and his family members' laptop and mobile phones were seized, and he was then taken to an unknown destination. He hasn’t yet to appear before an investigating authority.
On 15 February 2021, the journalist appeared before the State Security Prosecution and was interrogated in connection with Case No. 26 of 2021 State Security on charges of joining a terrorist group and spreading false news. The Prosecution then decided to hold him in pretrial detention pending the case.
11 - Hamdy Mokhtar Ali, aka Hamdy al-Zaeim
Date of arrest :
5 January, 2021
work place : Freelance photojournalist
- He was arrested from his house at Al-Ameryia district at dawn of 5 January 2021, before he was taken to an unknown destination. He was then transferred to the quarantine hospital in Abbasyia and on 16 January 2021, the photojournalist appeared before the State Security Prosecution for investigation into the Case No. 955 of 2020 State Security on charges of joining a terrorist group with knowledge of its purposes, spreading false news and statements and using an Internet account to publish false news. The Prosecution decided to hold Al-Zaeim for 15 days in pretrial detention.
12 - Amer Abdel-Moneim
Date of arrest :
18 December 2020
Place of detention :
He was arrested from his house at dawn on 18 December 2020, before he was taken to an unknown destination. Two days later, on 20 December, he appeared before the State Security Prosecution for investigation on charges of colluding with a terrorist group to achieve its goals and publishing false news and statements, and accordingly was ordered to be held in remand detention.
13 - Ahmed Mohamed Ali Sebei
Date of arrest :
2 March 2020
work place : " Afaq Arabia" newspaper
He was arrested after his house was stormed on 2 March 2020 and had been missing until he appeared before the Supreme State Security Prosecution's headquarters, where he was interrogated pending the Case No. 1365 of 2019 State Security on charges of joining a terrorist group, misusing an account on the Internet, and spreading false news and statements. The Prosecution then decided to hold him in pretrial detention.
14 - Mohamed Hany Ali Mohamed Gerisha
Date of arrest :
2 September 2020
Place of detention :
work place : "Youm7" news website
The journalist was arrested on 2 September 2020 and had been missing until he appeared before the Supreme State Security Prosecution's headquarters, where he was interrogated pending the Case No. 864 of 2020 State Security on charges of colluding with a terrorist group to achieve its goals, misusing social media, and spreading false news and statements. The Prosecution then decided to hold Gerisha in pretrial detention.
15 - Ahmed Mohamed Abo Khalil Al-Sayed
Date of arrest :
3 June 2020
work place : Director of "Ida2at" website's Office
He was arrested from his house at dawn of 3 June 2020, before he was taken to an unknown destination, where he had been kept under enforced disappearance. He then appeared on 13 June 2020 inside the headquarters of the State Security Prosecution as a defendant in the Case No. 558 of 2020 on charges of: abetting a terrorist group to achieve its goals, misusing social media and spreading false news.
16 - Khaled Helmi Ghoneim
Date of arrest :
13 April 2020
Place of detention :
work place : "Masr Al-Hayah" TV channel
He was arrested from his house on 13 April 2020. He appeared on 28 April 2020 at the headquarters of the State Security Prosecution, where he was interrogated over the Case No. 558 of 2020 State Security. The Prosecution leveled against him charges of "colluding with a terrorist group to achieve its goals, misusing social media and spreading false and statements". The Prosecution ruled to hold him in detention for 15 days.
17 - Ahmed Aalam
Date of arrest :
20 April 2020
work place : Al-Karama newspaper
He was arrested from his house on 25 April 2020, before he appeared at the headquarters of the State Security Prosecution 2 days later. He was interrogated over the Case No. 558 of 2020 State Security, on charges of: colluding with a terrorist group to achieve its goals, misusing social media, and spreading and broadcasting false news and statements. The Prosecution then decided to hold him in detention for 15 days.
18 - Mohamed Salah
Date of arrest :
26 November 2019
work place : Freelance journalist
He was arrested from a café at Dokki district, accompanied by his wife and others, on 26 November 2019, before they were all taken to Dokki Police Station. The following day, on 27 November 2019, he was interrogated by the Supreme State Security Prosecution pending Case No. 488 of 2019 State Security, on charges of joining a terrorist group and spreading false news and statements. The journalist has been held on detention.
On 21 July 2020, the Criminal Court ordered his release with precautionary measures. On 23 August 2020, the journalist was interrogated once more over Case No. 855 of 2020 State Security, on a charge of joining a terrorist group, and since then he has been held in pretrial detention.
19 - Mostafa El-Khatib
Date of arrest :
13 October 2019
work place : Journalist
He was arrested from his house on 13 October 2019, and then he appeared before the State Security Prosecution which interrogated him over case No. 1338 of 2019 State Security on charges of colluding with a terrorist group to achieve its goals, spreading false news and statements and misusing social media. El-Khatib has been held on remand until now.
20 - Sayed Abdellah
Date of arrest :
22 September 2019
work place : Journalist
He was arrested from his house at Suez governorate at dawn on 22 September 2019, after filming the demonstrations that broke out across Egypt on September 20. He then appeared before the State Security Prosecution, and was interrogated over case No. 1338 of 2019 State Security on charges of colluding with a terrorist group to achieve its goals, spreading false news and statements and misusing social media. The journalist has been held on remand until now.
Update: On 3 November 2020, Giza Criminal Court ordered the release of the journalist with precautionary measures, and accordingly he was transferred to Faisal Police Station in Suez governorate, but the decision hasn’t been implemented yet.
On 29 November 2020, the Supreme State Security Prosecution interrogated the journalist into the Case No. 1106 of 2020 on the charge of joining a terrorist group, and he was then ordered detained.
21 - Mohamed Ibrahim Mohamed Radwan, aka Mohamed Oxygen
Date of arrest :
21 September 2019
He was arrested on 21 September 2019, while carrying out his precautionary measures at Al-Basateen Police Station pending case No. 621 of 2019, and was then taken to an unknown destination.
On 8 October 2019, the blogger appeared inside the State Security Prosecution headquarters where he was interrogated over case No. 1356 of 2019 State Security, on charges of: colluding with a terrorist group to achieve its goals, spreading false news and statements and misusing social media. "Oxygen" has been held on remand until now.
Update:
On 3 November 2020, Giza Criminal Court ordered the release of the blogger with precautionary measures pending Case No. 1356 of 2019, but the decision wasn’t implemented. Rather, on 10 November 2020, he appeared before the Supreme State Security Prosecution and was interrogated into Case 855 of 2020 on a charge of joining a terrorist group. The Prosecution then decided to hold him in remand detention once again.
22 - Hossam Moanis Mohamed Saad
Date of arrest :
25 June 2019
Place of detention :
work place : "Al-Karama" newspaper
He was arrested from his house at dawn on 25 June 2019 before taken to an unknown location. The Interior Ministry issued a statement saying that the journalist's arrest was tied to "his collaboration with the Muslim Brotherhood's leaders fleeing abroad to carry out a plot- indentified as "The Plan for Hope"- to bring down the state and its institutions, coinciding with the June 30 anniversary's celebrations. Hisham appeared before the Supreme State Security Prosecution for investigation into case No. 930 of 2019 State Security on charges of colluding with a terrorist group to achieve its objectives and spreading false news and statements. The Prosecution decided to hold him in pretrial detention pending the aforementioned case.
23 - Hisham Fouad Mohamed Abdel-Halim
Date of arrest :
25 June 2019
work place : The Russian "Sputnik" news agency
He was arrested from his house at dawn on 25 June 2019 before taken to an unknown location. The Interior Ministry issued a statement saying that the journalist's arrest was tied to "his collaboration with the Muslim Brotherhood's leaders fleeing abroad to carry out a plot- indentified as "The Plan for Hope"- to bring down the state and its institutions, coinciding with the June 30 anniversary's celebrations. Hisham appeared before the Supreme State Security Prosecution for investigation into case No. 930 of 2019 State Security on charges of colluding with a terrorist group to achieve its objectives and spreading false news and statements. The Prosecution decided to hold him in pretrial detention pending the aforementioned case.
24 - Badr Badr Mohamed Badr
Date of arrest :
30 March 2017
work place : Editor in chief of "Al-Osra Al-Arabyia" newspaper
On 3 December 2019, the State Security Prosecution ordered his release for exceeding the pretrial detention period prescribed by law. He has been transferred to October Police Station, but he hasn’t actually been released until now.
Update:
In early December 2019, the State Security Prosecution ordered the release of the journalist under the guarantee of his place of residence; for exceeding the pretrial detention period prescribed by law. However, he had been kept under enforced disappearance until 25 February, when he appeared at the State Security Prosecution as a defendant and was interrogated over the Case No. 1360 of 2019 State Security on charges of abetting a terrorist group. He was then ordered to be held in detention for 15 days.
25 - Mohsen Youssef al-Sayed Radi
Date of arrest :
6 September 2013
Place of detention :
work place : Editor of "El-Togareen" magazine
He was sentenced to 20 years in prison over "Banha violence incidents" case, to life imprisonment over "The Great escape" case and to life imprisonment over the case known in the media as "blocking Qalyub road".
26 - Aliaa Nasr Al-Din Awad
Date of arrest :
23 October 2017
Place of detention :
work place : journalist at "Rassd" news website
She is being held in pretrial detention pending case No. 4459 of 2015 Helwan Criminal, known in the media as "Helwan Brigades", on charges of joining a group established contrary to the provisions of the law and spreading false news.
27 - Ismail al- Sayed Omar al- Iskandarani
Date of arrest :
29 November 2015
Place of detention :
work place : Freelance journalist
He was arrested, on 29 November 2015, at Hurghada airport upon his arrival from Berlin, Germany. He appeared before the State Security Prosecution for investigation into the Case No. 569 of 2015 State Security and had been held on remand until his case was referred to the Military Court which sentenced him to 10 years in prison. Then, on 27 December 2018, the Military Governor confirmed the ruling.
28 - Abdul Rahman Ramadan Shaheen al-Muselhi
Date of arrest :
07 April 2014
Place of detention :
work place : EL-Horeya Wel-Adala “Freedom and Justice” newspaper
He is being held in custody after Suez Appellant Misdemeanor Court sentenced him to three years in prison and fine, in addition to another 3-year prison sentence over the second case No. 2242 of 2014, and a life-imprisonment sentence in a military case.
