Egyptian authorities arrest journalist Ahmed al-Bahy on inciting violence charges
On Saturday, April 16, state security forces arrested al-Bahy, a correspondent for local independent news website Masrawy in the Monufia Governorate in Egypt’s Nile Delta region, from his home in the area, according to news reports and a local journalist and press freedom advocate who is following al-Bahy’s case.
On Sunday, the prosecutor’s office in Al-Sadat City in Monufia charged al-Bahy with inciting violence and ordered his pretrial detention for four days pending investigation, according to those sources.
Al-Bahy’s arrest stems from his coverage of an April 15 incident in Al-Sadat City, when police officers at the scene of a young man’s killing asked him to stop filming and to not write or publish anything about the case, according to news reports and the local journalist who spoke with CPJ.
Al-Bahy complied with that request, but was arrested despite complying. The Committee to Protect Journalistsg said Eyptian authorities must immediately and unconditionally release journalist Ahmed al-Bahy and drop any charges filed against him.
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