Egyptian police detained satirical cartoonist Ashraf Omar at his home in Cairo in the early hours of Monday, July 22, prompting outcries from journalist advocacy organizations and human rights activists calling for his immediate release. Prior to his arrest, Omar had published several cartoons in the independent newspaper Al-Manassa that took aim at Egypt’s electricity cutbacks and the government’s economic strategy.
He was also an active member of Egypt’s Revolutionary Socialists and wrote about the 2011 Egyptian Revolution that led to the end of former Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak’s 30-year rule.
Omar’s wife Nada Mogheeth, who was not home when he was taken by authorities, told Al-Manassa (where Omar also works as a translator) that security footage from a camera near their property showed Egyptian forces “in civilian clothing” raiding their residence, blindfolding Omar, and then taking him to “an undisclosed location.” She also told the publication that when she returned to the apartment, she found that his computer, his cell phone, and an unspecified amount of money were missing.
Al-Manassa has requested that Egypt’s Prosecutor General Mohamed Shawqi Ayaad, who was sworn in last September, issue a statement clarifying Omar’s detention status and any charges that may have been brought against him.
Omar’s arrest shortly followed that of journalist Khaled Mamdouh, who was “forcibly disappeared by security forces” last week on accusations of disseminating false information and “being involved in terrorism activities,” according to a press release from the International Federation of Journalists.
“The arrest of colleagues Ashraf Omar and Khaled Mamdouh within a week marks a return to the practice of arresting journalists,” said Khaled El-Balshy, chairman of the Egyptian Journalists Syndicate. “The committee demands an end to the security campaign, which began targeting and persecuting journalists for their opinions and journalistic work.”
According to media watchdog Reporters Without Borders, there are currently 14 media professionals “unjustly imprisoned” in Egypt. The North African nation is ranked 170 out of 180 countries in the organization’s 2024 World Press Freedom Index, which measures global levels of journalistic freedom.
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