State security prosecution to detain cartoonist Ashraf Omar for 15 days

The State Security Prosecution decided on Wednesday evening to detain cartoonist and translator Ashraf Omar for 15 days, according to defense lawyer Khaled Ali. 

His detention order came a day after politicians and former detainees concluded a consultation process to recommend reforms to the extensive use of remand detention against individuals accused of publishing offenses.

The prosecution is investigating Omar on suspicion of joining a terrorist group, publishing false news and misusing social media, according to Ali.

A security force blindfolded and arrested Omar from his home in the early hours of Monday, confiscating a sum of money and his personal devices.

His family was not informed of his whereabouts, and detention facilities near his home in October Gardens in Giza denied that he was present on their premises, a lawyer said.

On Monday, the Journalists Syndicate petitioned the prosecuting authorities to disclose Omar's detention location and provide details about the circumstances surrounding his arrest.

Omar remained forcibly disappeared for 48 hours before he was presented to prosecuting authorities on Wednesday afternoon.

Journalists Syndicate head Khaled al-Balshy noted in his Monday statement that Omar was the second journalist to be targeted for arrest within the span of a week, indicating the arrest and detention of Arabic Post journalist Khaled Mamdouh, who was ordered detained for 15 days earlier in July.

Members of the Journalists Syndicate also challenged this week the extensive use of remand detention to hold journalists and members of the public in custody for months without trial for speech and publishing crimes. They were among the participants in National Dialogue sessions held in Cairo to generate recommendations for reforms to the remand detention system.