Arabic Post journalist detained for 15 days over false news, terrorism charges

Following the arrest last week of Arabic Post journalist and translator Khaled Mamdouh Ibrahim, the Supreme State Security Prosecution issued orders for Mamdouh to be detained for 15 days pending investigation, the Association for Freedom of Thought and Expression announced on Sunday.

Ibrahim was forcibly disappeared for five days before he was presented to prosecuting authorities on Sunday.

He is to be investigated on suspicion of joining and financing a terrorist group and spreading false news, according to AFTE, which noted that his arrest report was dated Saturday, July 20 — four days after his actual arrest date.

Ibrahim was arrested from his home in Moqattam, Cairo, on Tuesday and taken to an undisclosed location, according to Ibrahim’s brother-in-law, Nagy Kamel, who spoke to Mada Masr.

Kamel said that, after midnight, a security force first went to Ibrahim's ID-registered address, where he no longer resides. They then proceeded to his current residence, where they stormed the house and assaulted members of Ibrahim's family.

The security force searched the home for the journalist’s laptop, Kamel said. When they couldn't find it, they reviewed surveillance footage from nearby establishments, which showed that Ibrahim had the laptop with him when he left the house with his son. Upon their return without the laptop,  security forces arrested Ibrahim and told his son to lead them to the laptop's location under force of arrest, ultimately taking the journalist’s laptop and phone into custody. They released Ibrahim’s son on the same night.

AFTE said it had petitioned the public prosecutor on Wednesday regarding Ibrahim’s whereabouts.

Ibrahim had previously worked for media outlets such as MBC Masr and Al-Arabiya, Kamel said, specializing in international affairs rather than reporting on local matters. Kamel also noted that Ibrahim has recently received job offers from the intelligence-owned United Media Services.

Ibrahim's family also reached out to the interior and justice ministers last week to request information about his whereabouts.