Former opposition leader and two academics arrested in Egypt
Egyptian security forces have arrested the former leader of an opposition political party, as well as two academics who oppose the current government, a rights group has said.
Khaled Daoud, journalist and former chairman of Egypt’s opposition Dostour party, was arrested alongside political science professors Hassan Nafaa and Hazem Hosny, said the Egyptian Centre for Economic and Social Rights (ECESR).
ECESR has been publishing updates about the arrests since they started, following the outbreak of rare protests against President Abdul Fattah al-Sisi on 20 September.
Mr Daoud, who used to report for the BBC, and Mr Hosny are at the Supreme State Security Prosecution, awaiting investigation, the ECESR said on Facebook on 25 September. It added that Mr Nafaa was yet to be located.
The number of those arrested in connection with the recent protests has thus far reached 1,438, the centre added in a separate statement.
Rare protests broke out in Cairo and other Egyptian cities on 20 September following calls by businessman Mohamed Ali, who has accused Mr Sisi and other members of the military of corruption – allegations the president has denied.
The protests have sparked a wave of arrests. President Sisi is currently in New York, attending the 74th session of the United Nations General Assembly. When asked about the protests, he said that “political Islam” was behind them.
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