Under Egypt’s new anti-terrorism law, security forces arrested three persons in the southern governorate of Sohag over accusations of promoting the Islamic State group (IS) ideology using social media, Sohag security directorate said in a statement on Saturday.
The statement said that the defendants, two of whom are veterinary students, were posting videos on their Facebook accounts to "promote and spread IS jihad views among citizens."
According to terrorism law, any person who uses social media or any communication network for spreading views that could promote or incite terrorist acts would be sent to prison for at least five years.
Last week, President Abdel Fatah El-Sisi, who has full legislative powers in the absence of a parliament, issued the law amid criticisms from human rights groups and journalists who see it as a tool of repression.
