Detention for two journalists arrested from inside syndicate renewed

Sunday 29-05-2016 09:24 PM

Journalists gather outside the Press Syndicate in downtown Cairo ahead of an emergency general assembly meeting on May 4, 2016, in protest to a police raid on the syndicate and the arrest of two journalists. ASWAT MASRIYA

CAIRO, May 29 (Aswat Masriya) - An Egyptian court renewed on Sunday the detention of two journalists arrested from inside the press syndicate earlier in May to another 15 days pending investigation.

Journalists Amr Badr and Mahmoud al-Sakka were arrested after security forces raided the syndicate’s headquarters on the first of May, in what the press syndicate described in a statement then as “unprecedented”.

Prosecution accused the two journalists of inciting protests, attempting to overthrow the regime and broadcasting false news with the aim of disturbing public peace.

They also faced charges related to publications on social media networks, Facebook and Twitter, and articles that have been published in the press.

Following the raiding of the syndicate, the press syndicate demanded a presidential apology and the sacking of the Interior Minister Magdy Abdel Ghaffar.

The interior ministry however denied storming the building or using force to arrest the two journalists. The journalists handed themselves in and all the arrest procedures took place in line with the law, the ministry said in a statement then.

Egypt's top prosecutor ordered media gag on the case until the investigation is complete.

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