Mohamed Monir, 65, was arrested by plainclothes police officers early on Monday, the New York-based advocacy group said. "Egyptian authorities must immediately and unconditionally release journalist Mohamed Monir and drop these baseless charges," it said. The government regards Monir as a mouthpiece for Morsi's Muslim Brotherhood, now blacklisted as a terrorist organisation. DEFIANTIn a defiant video message he posted on Facebook, Monir vowed that the authorities' attempt to arrest him would not stop him speaking out. Egypt ranks as the third worst jailer of journalists behind China and Turkey, according to the CPJ.

Source: Daily Nation June 17, 2020 03:26 UTC