Egyptian media syndicate condemns forced disappearance of journalist

The Egyptian Journalists Syndicate Committee on Tuesday condemned the forced disappearance of journalist Yasser Sayed Abu Al-Ela.

Security forces detained Abu Al-Ela, a member of the organisation’s general assembly, at his home last month. Since then there has been no information about his whereabouts.

Abu Al-Ela was arrested over a previous case dating back to 2015, which was being heard by the terrorism court, The New Arab’s sister publication, Al-Araby Al-Jadeed, reported.

The journalist did not show up to his trial session this week, raising further alarm on his whereabouts.

His family and lawyer have not been given information regarding his condition or his place of detention, the syndicate added.

"He has been deprived of his right to prove his defence in court, which is considering him a fugitive due to his absence," the statement read.

A report has been submitted by the syndicate to the attorney general demanding to know Al-Ela's whereabouts and called for access to the detainee.

The syndicate said they will hold authorities to account for El-Ela's well-being and warned that his continued absence from court would be a breach of his human rights.

This week, an Egyptian prosecutor remanded 16 activists in custody, pending further investigations into terrorism-related charges after they joined a pro-Gaza protest earlier last week.

The protest took place outside the Journalists’ Syndicate in downtown Cairo, and the activists were accused of "joining a terrorist group" and "spreading false news", the Egyptian Commission for Rights and Freedoms said.

Media freedom and civil rights have sharply deteriorated in Egypt since President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi seized power following a 2013 coup, with tens of thousands of government opponents and ordinary citizens detained and tortured.

In April last year, the Egyptian security authorities listed 33 journalists on a new "terrorism" watch list among 82 others, including activists, politicians, and human rights defenders, all living in self-exile outside the country.