IPI calls on prosecutors to release Hossam Bahgat

The International Press Institute (IPI) today condemned Egypt's detention of prominent journalist Hossam Bahgat for allegedly publishing "false news" and "information that endangers the public well-being".

Bahgat is known in the country for founding the Egyptian Initiative for Personal Rights (EIPR) in 2002 and serving as its director. However, following the military takeover in 2013, he became well known for a series of investigative reports published on independent website Mada Masr.

His most recent report was about the August 2015 conviction of 26 military officers for an alleged coup plot, which is believed to have led to prosecutors summoning him for questioning yesterday and to his subsequent arrest.

The current associate director of EIPR, Heba Morayef, said today in a message posted on Twitter that prosecutors had decided to detain Bahgat until at least Wednesday.

IPI today called for an end to Bahgat's continuing detention.

"Mr. Bahgat is a well-respected journalist and the use of these allegations to detain him further undermines the guarantees of free expression and press freedom set forth in Egypt's Constitution," IPI Director of Advocacy and Communications Steven M. Ellis said. "We call for his immediate release and for Egypt's authorities to respect the necessary role that journalists play in holding state institutions to account - even when their reports paint authorities in an unfavourable light."

Morayef also commented online that "Hossam knew the risk he was taking in writing his last piece, but he remained committed -- along with the brilliant editor of Mada Masr -- to fighting to protect a space for real investigative journalism in Egypt".