Egypt arrests senior editor of independent news outlet, amid crack-down on press-freedom

Security forces of Egypt targeted one of the last remaining independent news outlets in the country on November 23 by picking a journalist from his home and detaining him in an unknown location, according to reports. Four plain dressed security officers knocked on the door of Shady Zalat's residence, an editor with the Mada Masr news website and entered forcibly without presenting an arrest warrant. The security forces thereafter seized Zalat's laptops, cellphones and other work-related documents before taking him away.

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Protest broke out to challenge Sissi regime

The news website released a statement on Shady Zalat's 'abduction' in a Facebook post that stated that he has done nothing except report the news. In September, a small rare street protest broke out challenging the Sissi regime, the government has arrested more than 4,400 people including activists, journalists, even children, and some foreigners, according to the local human rights activists. Egyptian authorities said that many of them were arrested because of their fake social media posts. Activists and human rights groups took to social media denouncing Zalat’s arrest. Some of them viewed it as an attempt against the few independent voices still courageously willing to hold the government accountable.

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Mada Masr's standing

Mada Masr is widely considered as one of  the nation's most authoritative and trusted media outlet. Its website was blocked but it still managed to publish on Facebook and other social media handles. Earlier this month, security forces came to Zalat’s apartment building thrice to gather information about Zalat’s home, car, and work. The 37-year-old editor, who lives with his wife and daughter, has been working for Mada Masr since 2014. The security agents said that he was being taken to the security headquarters in Cairo’s Giza enclave. Human rights watchdog group tweeted that the journalist should be immediately released and must ensure he is protected from torture, allowing access to a lawyer and contact with his family.

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