Egyptian journalist Hossam Bahgat banned from travel
Renowned Egyptian human rights activist and journalist, Hossam Bahgat, was held at Cairo airport on Tuesday evening and has been banned from leaving the country.
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Hossam Bahgat is a renowned human rights activist and journalist [Getty]
Authorities at Cairo's international airport banned investigative journalist and human rights advocate Hossam Bahgat from leaving the country Tuesday.
The measure was ordered by the public prosecutor, Bahgat said on his official Facebook page, but added that he was not given more details.
"I was just told that my name was included among those banned from travelling outside of the country by an order from Egypt's top prosecutor without providing me with more details or a court case record," Bahgat's post read.
He was heading to Jordan to participate in a UN meeting on justice in the Arab world.
Prominent Egyptian activist and lawyer Gamal Eid told Ahram Online that Bahgat was still at the airport as of Tuesday evening.
Bahgat, 37, was detained by the Egyptian military in November for four days for questioning on suspicion of "spreading false news aimed at harming national interests."
One of Egypt's most prominent activists, Bahgat is the founder of the Egyptian Initiative for Personal Rights [EIPR], an independent Egyptian human rights organisation.
He was honoured with a Human Rights Watch Alison Des Forges Award in 2011.
Last year Bahgat left EIPR and joined Mada Masr, an online news site, where he has written a series of articles concerning the army and military trials.
Prior to his detention in November, he wrote an article about the military trial of 26 military officers who were accused and convicted of planning a coup.
His detention stirred a wave of condemnation, including by UN chief Ban Ki-moon and Amnesty International.
The measure was ordered by the public prosecutor, Bahgat said on his official Facebook page, but added that he was not given more details.
"I was just told that my name was included among those banned from travelling outside of the country by an order from Egypt's top prosecutor without providing me with more details or a court case record," Bahgat's post read.
He was heading to Jordan to participate in a UN meeting on justice in the Arab world.
Prominent Egyptian activist and lawyer Gamal Eid told Ahram Online that Bahgat was still at the airport as of Tuesday evening.
Bahgat, 37, was detained by the Egyptian military in November for four days for questioning on suspicion of "spreading false news aimed at harming national interests."
One of Egypt's most prominent activists, Bahgat is the founder of the Egyptian Initiative for Personal Rights [EIPR], an independent Egyptian human rights organisation.
He was honoured with a Human Rights Watch Alison Des Forges Award in 2011.
Last year Bahgat left EIPR and joined Mada Masr, an online news site, where he has written a series of articles concerning the army and military trials.
Prior to his detention in November, he wrote an article about the military trial of 26 military officers who were accused and convicted of planning a coup.
His detention stirred a wave of condemnation, including by UN chief Ban Ki-moon and Amnesty International.
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