Yesterday, Egyptian security forces arrested journalist Shaima Sami from her family's home in Alexandria.
Shaima wrote on her Facebook account that security forces were arresting her, before her account was closed.
Shaima worked as a journalist and published many articles for her. The executive director of the Arab Network for Human Rights Information (non-governmental) Jamal Eid said that Shaima left work with them as a researcher three months ago.
"An evil mind retaliates against every critical voice and tries to spread fear among young people, especially journalists. Shaima is the 11th journalist who has been held from March until now. Journalism is not a crime," Eid wrote on his Twitter page.
The Egyptian-based Egyptian journalist, Omar Khalifa, wrote on his Twitter page that the Egyptian authorities continue to use the Corona cover to prevent all forms of freedom of expression.
Shaimaa Samy, an #Egyptian journalist and researcher was arrested by #Egyptian security forces from her home yesterday. #Egypt continues to use cover of # COVID19 to shut down all manner of freedom of expression. pic.twitter.com/9Xoj7Cub9n
- Amr Khalifa (@ Cairo67Unedited) May 21, 2020
Jamal Eid imprisoned ten other journalists since last March 18, that is, the time for the start of the Corona pandemic until May 18, and added, "2 of them rotate, meaning release during this period and their imprisonment on new cases, and 8 new journalists, did not come out of them Except the chief editor of Mada Misr, Lina Atallah.
Ten journalists were locked up in two months. "From March 18, the Corona pandemic started - May 18,
2 of them are recycling, meaning release during this period and imprisoned them on new cases, and 8 new journalists, only Lina Atallah, editor in chief, came out. By
adding Shaima Sami yesterday, Become 11 male and female journalists https://t.co/fMd3D3Gkc4
- Gamal Eid (@gamaleid) May 21, 2020
Egyptian and human rights lawyer Tariq Hussein said that the world is heading to reduce prisoners in light of the Corona pandemic, while the Egyptian authorities are doing the opposite.
Associate Shaima Sami wrote a post on her Facebook account from two minutes that she was arrested from the house, the whole world is reducing prisoners except for Egypt, the period in Jenan and security attacks, and they will enter new prisoners. pic.twitter.com/M4NvosZsDp
- Tarek Hussein (@ TarekHussein22) May 20, 2020
The largest prison for journalists
The Reporters Without Borders report on the state of the press in Egypt reiterated the freedom of the media and the reasons for the retreat of the Egyptian press after it was a pioneer in the Arab region.
According to the organization's description, Egypt is one of the largest prisons for journalists in the region, and the report placed this country ranked 166 in the world in the freedom of the press.
The recent report said that the Egyptian authorities are using the principle of fighting "fake news" as an excuse to justify blocking pages and websites on the one hand, and withdrawing journalists' credit cards on the other hand.
Egypt is only ahead of this index on five Arab countries, namely Yemen, Bahrain, Saudi Arabia, Syria and Djibouti, out of a total of 22 countries.
Most of Africa (54 countries) is ahead of Egypt, which is the most ancient in the history of the press, with the exception of only two countries, Eritrea and Djibouti.