Ahmed Kamel – Egypt Daily News
The recent arrest of journalist Islam El-Raghy from Akhbar El-Yom has ignited a wave of criticism and concern across Egypt’s media and legal circles.
El-Raghy was arrested on Sunday in the Damietta governorate following a warrant issued for a Facebook post in which he criticized the deteriorating public services in his village. His comments, directed at the local municipal leadership, led to legal action initiated by the head of the village council, resulting in the journalist being charged and referred to a criminal court.
In his post, El-Raghy had written:
“Under the leadership of President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi, I was shocked to be arrested today at the Farskor police station and referred to criminal court, simply for pointing out the lack of cleanliness in my village.”
The post, published in May, was a direct appeal to the Governor of Damietta, Dr. Manal Awad, highlighting what he described as “severe negligence” in waste collection, street lighting maintenance, and general public services in Mit El-Sheikh, his home village.
“Is it acceptable,” El-Raghy asked in his post, “that garbage remains uncollected from the internal streets of my village for over 15 days in this heat, turning the area in front of the youth center into a trash swamp?”
He further accused local officials of only cleaning main roads to avoid criticism from higher authorities, while leaving residents to suffer from foul odors and disease risks.
The journalist’s arrest has sparked swift reactions from media institutions. The National Press Authority announced that it had been closely monitoring El-Raghy’s situation and had directed Akhbar El-Yom to provide full legal support. According to the authority’s statement, attorney Ali Mohamed from the institution has been representing El-Raghy in all legal proceedings and coordinating with relevant authorities in an effort to secure his release.
Khaled El-Balshy, head of Egypt’s Journalists Syndicate, condemned the arrest as a “serious and dangerous incident” that contradicts ongoing efforts to expand the space for free expression and open criticism.
In a detailed Facebook post, El-Balshy outlined the legal trajectory of the case: the local official who filed the complaint had initially pursued the matter through the Economic Court, which ultimately ruled it lacked jurisdiction.
The case was then referred back to the public prosecution, which reopened the investigation, took statements from the complainant, and issued the order to arrest and detain El-Raghy.
“This is not just a legal measure, it is a punishment,” El-Balshy said, noting that no court date has been set and that the journalist remains in custody despite the non-criminal nature of the allegations. He emphasized that the case falls under publishing offenses and should be handled accordingly under Egypt’s press laws.
Citing Article 29 of the Press Regulation Law No. 180 of 2018 and Article 71 of the Egyptian Constitution, which explicitly bans imprisonment in publishing-related offenses, El-Balshy announced that the syndicate would be submitting a formal request to Egypt’s Public Prosecutor, Counselor Mohamed Shawky Ayad, calling for El-Raghy’s immediate release.
The syndicate has also appointed legal counsel to be present with El-Raghy during any further questioning or legal action in Damietta and pledged to pursue all available avenues to defend his rights.
“This arrest highlights the precarious environment in which journalists operate,” El-Balshy concluded. “It reinforces the urgent need for a law that prohibits custodial sentences in publishing cases, and for a public climate that supports, rather than punishes, constructive criticism and civic oversight.”
As El-Raghy’s case unfolds, it serves as a litmus test for the Egyptian government’s stated commitments to press freedom and legal reform.
