Egypt after days of protests .. Hundreds of arrests and heavy security spread and unprecedented losses on the stock exchange

The security alert is escalating dramatically in a number of Egyptian governorates after days of protests and demonstrations calling for the departure of President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi, amid a large rise in the number of detainees in connection with these demonstrations.

Cairo has witnessed unprecedented security tension in various fields, gatherings and metro stations through the deployment of security personnel in civilian uniforms next to the central security armor, stopping pedestrians, especially young people, checking their personal identities, and sometimes search their mobile phones.

On a tour of Al Jazeera Net in central Cairo, security fences were seen including police commanders and officers of various ranks.

On the side streets - especially where there were symbolic events in the January 2011 revolution, such as Mohamed Mahmoud Street - security personnel in civilian clothes were deployed with unprecedented intensity, standing in close proximity.

At the entrances to large buildings and in front of cafes in downtown Cairo, security personnel in civilian clothes stood on alert. Next to them stood the rapid reaction vehicles, vehicles that roam the streets around the clock.

It is noted that the security personnel are tracking everyone who carries a mobile phone from his position in his hand seems to be filming.

Arrests
Police arrested lawyer and human rights activist Mahinour al-Masri as she left the State Security Prosecution building in Fifth Settlement after defending the detainees of the demonstrations last Friday.

It also arrested Abdul Aziz al-Husseini, deputy head of the Karama party in a campaign that included a number of activists and politicians, had been arrested a few days ago leftist leader Kamal Khalil.

Following a hot night of demonstrations in the eastern Egyptian city of Suez, security forces launched large-scale and indiscriminate arrests and arrested more than 100 people from their homes, as part of a campaign of arrests that began two days ago and continues to this day.

The number of people arrested in connection with the demonstrations demanding the departure of Sisi to more than 336 demonstrators, according to the Egyptian Commission for Rights and Freedoms (unofficial).

The Egyptian Center for Economic and Social Rights documented the arrest of 274 demonstrators in Friday's demonstrations across the country.

According to a statement issued by the Center, the Legal Unit received a flood of reports from the families of detainees who were arrested or detained in the wake of peaceful demonstrations in Cairo and other governorates yesterday evening and until the early hours of the morning. Disclose the whereabouts or reasons for the detention of those arrested.

PCHR reiterated its call on officials to quickly disclose the legal position of these persons, especially in light of the steady increase in the number of persons who have been reported to be arrested or detained and their contact with them has been increased, from 166 to 274.

Charges
The defendants face charges including "joining a terrorist group established in violation of the law and the constitution, demonstrating without notice, spreading false news, and misusing social media," Al Jazeera correspondent quoted a human rights source as saying.

The Supreme State Security Prosecution has investigated so far with 153 people, but has not yet issued a decision on them, according to a human rights source told Al Jazeera Net reporter.

Stock market losses
The Egyptian stock market was affected in its first opening session for the first working day this week, as the trading session halted for half an hour after its broader EGX 100 index fell 5% for the first time since 2016.

The stock market closed on losses estimated at 35 billion pounds (about 16.5 pounds), and economic specialists attributed the tremor in the stock market to its impact on Friday demonstrations.

Parliamentary sources told Al-Jazeera Net that there is a tendency to calm the citizens before the demonstrations on Friday, by announcing to raise the per capita supply to 80 pounds, an increase of fifty pounds from the current quota.