Editor-in-chief of Masr Al-Arabiya Adel Sabry – press photo
CAIRO – 5 April 2018: Dokki prosecution ordered a 15-day detention period for the editor-in-chief of Masr Al-Arabiya, Adel Sabry, pending an investigation over allegations of Sabry joining a terrorist group, publishing false news and managing an unlicensed news website.
A statement from the Interior Ministry stated that the Egyptian security forces arrested Sabry based on charges of operating a news websitewithout a license on Wednesday. According to sources, the security raided the office of the news website in the Dokki district of Giza on Tuesday evening, and closed the office.
The incident came two days after Egypt's state-run Supreme Media Council announced imposing a fine of LE 50,000 ($2836) on the news website for republishing a New York Times’ report of alleged violations during the 2018 presidential election.
According to media reports, a member of the Egyptian Press Syndicate’s board said the syndicate will respond to the incident, following a formal decision by the general prosecution regarding Sabry.
In May 2017, Egyptian authorities decided to ban 21 news websites, including Masr Al-Arabiya and Qatari-based Al-Jazeera, for "supporting terrorism and publishing fake news."
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