Update: Rights activist released on bail amid continuing crackdown on civil society

Director of the Andalus Institute for Tolerance and Anti-Violence Studies Ahmed Sameeh was released on Sunday afternoon after paying LE5000 bail.

Lawyer and human rights activist Gamal Eid told Mada Masr that Sameeh was charged with the possession of a pirated Windows version, in addition to publishing news on the internet with no license, according to Article 10 in the Communication Law of 2003.

Sameeh was transferred to Sayeda Zeinab prosecution earlier on Sunday for further investigation, following his arrest Saturday from his downtown office.

According to Al-Haqanya Center for Rights, whose lawyers will represent the detained activist, Sameeh was originally accused of violating both copyright laws and telecommunication laws by broadcasting an unlicensed online radio station. Sameeh was in charge of running Radio Horytna, an online station that has since been taken down.

The police force that stormed the headquarters of the radio confiscated three computers and a microphone, according to Al-Haqanya.

Sameeh’s arrest has been interpreted by rights defenders as a continuation of the state crackdown against them, following similar recent incidents.

Gramafoon, one of the most popular online radio stations in Egypt, announced its solidarity with Sameeh on their official Facebook account, maintaining that there are no licenses for online radio in Egypt.

Sameeh was arrested on Saturday afternoon and was interrogated until 3 am on Sunday. The prosecution then decided to detain him overnight pending the results of investigations.

In a phone interview to Associated Press from the police station, Sameeh stated that interrogators asked him about his political affiliations. The radio’s website also reported that the police force searched the premises and interrogated employees about their editorial content and political affiliations.

57 human rights organizations issued a joint statement last week denouncing the state’s continued targeting of human rights defenders.