Two journalists were arrested early Sunday in Beheira governorate with no information on charges, according to their family.
The two brothers, Ahmed and Mahmoud Kaoud, were arrested at dawn from their house in Al-Magd village in Beheira government, said their brother Mohamed.
Mohamed, a journalist himself for Al-Shorouk newspaper, said that security officers stormed their family’s house around 3am. They arrested his brothers, seized laptops, money, and jewellery, and destroyed furniture in the process.
He added that he contacted the head of the Press Syndicate, Diaa Rashwan, who told him he contacted the Ministry of Interior to help release the two journalists. However, Rashwan told him that the ministry claims only Mahmoud has been arrested.
Rashwan told Kaoud that there are no charges against the brothers and no warrants issued as well.
Khaled Al-Balshy, board member of the Press Syndicate, said that the syndicate has been contacting the ministry and confirmed its claim of only Mahmoud’s arrest.
“We are hoping for Mahmoud’s release within hours, and as for Ahmed, we are still trying to find where he is,” Balshy said.
Egypt ranked 159th of 180 listed countries in Reporters Without Borders’ 2014 World Press Freedom Index.
The NGO’s annual roundup said that between December 2013 and December 2014, 46 journalists were arrested in Egypt. It added that 16 journalists are imprisoned in Egypt, representing 9% of all professional journalists imprisoned worldwide. “The political situation does not justify President [Abel Fattah Al-]Sisi’s repressive policies and the propaganda regime he has established,” the media watchdog said.
