News / Egypt

Egyptian opposition leader arrested amid crackdown

Sunday, 27 May 2018 3:24 PM [ Last Update: Sunday, 27 May 2018 6:13 PM ]

Egypt's opposition leader Hazim Abdelazim

Egyptian authorities have detained prominent opposition leader Hazim Abdelazim as Cairo speeds up its repression campaign to silence dissidents and critics of the government.

Abdelazim, once a deputy telecoms minister under ousted President Hosni Mubarak, was arrested at his home in the capital Cairo late on Saturday night on suspicion of publishing false news and inciting against the state.

Abdelazim was heavily involved with Egyptian President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi's 2014 election campaign. He has described the experience on his Twitter profile as his "biggest sin." Abdelazim has been known for his harsh criticism of the government since he left Sisi’s campaign that year.

The latest arrest comes days after Egyptian authorities detained award-winning blogger and journalist Wael Abbas, accusing him of involvement in an illegal organization and publishing false news.

The Arab Network for Human Rights Information (ANHRI) said that armed police raided Abbas's home early on Wednesday, without showing an arrest warrant.

PressTV-Egypt arrests blogger amid crackdown on dissent

Egypt detains prominent blogger and journalist Wael Abbas, the latest in a series of arrests targeting dissidents.

Abbas's arrest followed those of at least three other prominent opposition figures.

Sisi has since 2013 overseen a wide crackdown on dissent, which rights groups say is the worst ever for Egypt, jailing hundreds of activists behind the 2011 uprising that toppled Mubarak. The crackdown followed the July 2013 ouster by the military, then led by Sisi, of democratically-elected President Mohammed Morsi.

A street sign showing Egypt’s President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi is seen on the roadside in Cairo ahead of the presidential election, March 25, 2018. (Reuters)

Elected to office the following year, Sisi has since silenced most critics in the media, rolled back freedoms won by the 2011 uprising, and placed draconian restrictions on demonstrations and the work of rights groups.

Sisi won a second term in office in a March election after all serious opposition contenders halted their campaigns citing intimidation and several arrests.