Egypt lawmaker mulls 'ban' on return of foreign-based dissidents

An Egyptian lawmaker has proposed banning foreign-based dissidents from returning to the country and having their nationality stripped, amid a crackdown on opposition activists.

Ahmad Zidan told news website Parlmany on Saturday that he wanted to toughen an existing law criminalising "incitement against the state from abroad".

"There are people who incite against the state from abroad through terrorist channels," Zidan said.

"I am studying putting forward a bill that would ban them from entering the country and strip them of their nationality," he added.

Egypt's parliament is seen as little more than a legislative front rubber-stampting the country's strongman's decisions.

The announcement comes days after President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi warned during a televised speech that foreign-based media figures "will be held accountable".

"I swear to God anyone who speaks on TV channels outside will be held accountable," Sisi said.

Human rights organisations have accused Sisi, re-elected in March with over 97 percent of the vote, of seeking to silence opponents.

Egypt has waged a massive crackdown on dissent since the 2013 overthrow of elected Islamist president Mohammed Morsi after mass protests against his one-year divisive rule.

In recent weeks, Egyptian police have arrested a string of prominent activists who have spoken up against authorities.