Egyptian military prosecutors on Sunday questioned investigative journalist and rights activist Hossam Bahgat on suspicion of publishing false information, the website for which he works said. The Mada Masr website said Bahgat, 37, was questioned for nearly nine hours and then ta
Egyptian military prosecutors on Sunday questioned investigative journalist and rights activist Hossam Bahgat on suspicion of publishing false information, the website for which he works said.
The Mada Masr website said Bahgat, 37, was questioned for nearly nine hours and then taken to the prosecutor's office.
"Hossam called his lawyer and told him he was being accused of having published false information and lies that were damaging to the public interest," Lina Attalah, the website's chief editor, told AFP.
"While these are only initial charges they can either amount to a referral to a court with the case heard by a military court or he could be released," she said.
Human Rights Watch describes Bahgat, founder of the Egyptian Initiative for Personal Rights, as "a leading defender of civil rights and liberties in Egypt" who played a prominent role in the 2011 revolution that toppled longtime president Hosni Mubarak.
Caption: Hossam Bahgat
Photo:www.copts-united.com
