Egypt: Rights groups demand whereabouts of journalist arrested by security services

Rights groups have raised concerns about the whereabouts of a prominent Egyptian journalist after she was detained by security officials on Thursday.

According to the Egyptian Network for Human Rights (ENHR), Safaa al-Korbigi was arrested at her home after security forces broke in.

Korbigi, who worked for the state-owned Radio and Television Magazine, had been a vocal critic of the economic crisis currently afflicting Egypt.

"The Egyptian journalist did not hide her dissatisfaction with the catastrophic conditions experienced by the Egyptian people, in light of the low standard of living, high prices, and the spread of corruption," wrote ENHR on its Facebook page.

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"Her arrest comes as part of an ongoing series of repression and abuse practised by the Egyptian authorities against journalists, to continue the muzzling policy until further notice."

Many Egyptians shared Koribigi's name in a hashtag on social media, calling for her release or for her whereabouts to be revealed.

Since overthrowing the democratically elected government in 2013, President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi has overseen what Human Rights Watch has described as the worst crackdown on human rights in the country's modern history.

In the organisation's World Report 2022, it said Egypt’s security forces have regularly acted with impunity, routinely conducting arbitrary arrests, enforced disappearances, and torture of real or suspected political activists as well as ordinary citizens. 

Rights campaigners say Egypt is holding some 60,000 political prisoners, many facing brutal conditions and overcrowded cells.

Sisi has denied there are any political prisoners being held in Egypt.