Egypt: Women Journalists Who Defended Press Freedom Freed From Jail

The Egyptian authorities released 32 pre-trial detainees which included three female journalists. They were behind bars for two years in the country that is ranked as the world's third worst jailer of journalists. The journalists, Safaa El-Korbaji, Hala Fahmy, and Manal Agrama worked for state-run outlets. Read on to learn more about the restricted press freedom and human rights in Egypt. 

Why were they detained?

The three female journalists are known for being an outspoken critic of the government and the alleged corruption inside the Maspero building. They have been detained since 2022. They were made to undergo forced disappearance and face terrorism-related charges by the state security prosecution.

The detainees released also include 11 teachers who staged peaceful protests for being rejected in a competition for public posts. 

More about the detainees and the corruption against them

Even though the journalists have been released, it is still unclear whether the charges against them have been dropped or they will still face trials. Pre-trial detentions in Egypt are not supposed to exceed two years. However, local and international human rights groups have been accusing the Egyptian authorities of recycling the detainees, primarily journalists and activities, into new cases before the two years get over so that they remain under detention for a longer time. 

Restricted press freedom in Egypt

Since the 2013 coup when Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi seized power over the country, media freedom and civil rights have deteriorated. Around 600 local and international news sites have been blocked in Egypt including Al-Araby Al-Jadeed, the Arabic-language sister company and The New Arab. 

Last year in April, Egyptian security listed 33 journalists on a new terrorism watchlist which also had activists, politicians, and human rights defenders making a total of 82 people.