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Egypt police raids news network HQ, describes it as "Brotherhood media committee"
Peter Greste, Mohamed Fahmy and Baher Mohamed (L-R) listen to the ruling at a court in Cairo June 23, 2014. REUTERS/Asmaa Waguih
CAIRO, Jul 16 (Aswat Masriya) - Egyptian security raided the headquarters of Yqeen News Network on Tuesday, accusing it of spreading false news and "inciting against the current regime," the Interior Ministry said on Thursday.
The network, located in Cairo's downtown neighbourhood, said on Tuesday it was raided by security personnel who arrested its director and a crew member. All the network's equipment was also confiscated in the raid, the network said on its Facebook page.
The Interior Ministry said in a statement the raid came in efforts to "serve legal blows to the terrorist Muslim Brotherhood organisation," describing Yqeen as a "media committee" of the banned Brotherhood.
The ministry said the network's director was referred to prosecution and jailed for four days pending investigation. The director, Yehia Khalaf, faced the prosecution on Wednesday, the network reported.
The ministry made no reference to the other crew member who Yqeen said was arrested during the raid. The network later reported the crew member's release from custody.
Security authorities confiscated a number of computers, six video cameras, 18 network logos, two gas masks and nine press cards for the network's reporters, the ministry said. Confiscated computers had videos of Brotherhood and Ultras football fans protests.
Yqeen describes itself as a "network concerned with local, regional and international news," adding that it is not affiliated with any bodies or institutions and is "completely independent."
Press freedom in Egypt has lately come under scrutiny.
The New York-based Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ) said in a report on press freedom in Egypt published in June that the state's imprisonment of journalists is at "an all-time high". It counted at least 18 journalists behind bars in relation to their reporting.
Egypt's government is working on passing a new anti-terrorism legislation which the cabient said would achieve "swift and just deterrence", whereas the press syndicate criticised it for allowing imprisonment in cases related to publishing.
