Outspoken Egyptian photojournalist accused of terrorism-related charges, 15 days after being arrested

A Cairo prosecutor has accused Egyptian photojournalist Mohamed Fawzy of terrorism-related charges, 15 days after being arrested without interrogation, prominent rights lawyer Khaled Ali posted on his Facebook page.

Fawzy, arrested on 15 May, had criticised on social media the Ramadan Iftar that gathered leaders of opposition and the supporters of President Abdel-Fattah El-Sisi, dubbed "the iftar of the Egyptian family", which is believed to be the reason for his detention, according to Ali.

"He has been charged with joining an illegal group, disseminating false news, and misusing social media tools," Ali said, without clarifying whether Fawzy was released on bail or remained in the dentition.

It is also still uncertain whether he was subjected to enforced disappearance. 

Ali, meanwhile, declined to directly comment on the case

Earlier last month, two journalists, Hala Fahmy and Safaa El-Korbigi, were also detained, pending further investigations into similar charges.

Both women had been outspoken critics of the government and the alleged corruption at the headquarters of the Radio and Television Union, the country's state-run broadcaster at Cairo's almost six-decade-old Maspero building. 

Since taking power in 2014, Sisi has governed the country with an iron fist, and is frequently accused by local and international rights groups of overseeing "the worst crackdown on human rights, freedom of expression, and media in the country's modern history."

In 2021, Egypt has been ranked "the world's third-worst jailer of journalists" by the Committee to Protect Journalists, with over 50 journalists currently behind bars.