Egyptian rights lawyer Khaled Ali, who recently spearheaded a case challenging the government's Tiran and Sanafir deal with Saudi Arabia, was detained on Tuesday for making an "obscene hand gesture" during a demonstration outside the State Council headquarters in January, according to Ali's lawyer.

Ali, a former presidential candidate, was questioned by the prosecution on Tuesday and ordered detained for 24 hours pending investigations, Ali's lawyer Gamal Eid told Ahram Online.

Ali had made the "obscene gesture" as he was being lifted up by the crowd during a demonstration celebrating a court ruling annulling the government's 2016 deal to hand over control of two Red Sea islands to Saudi Arabia.

The case against Ali was filed by independent lawyer Samir Sabry in January.

The Bread and Freedom Party, which Ali founded, said on Sunday that the case against him is part of a "frantic campaign targeting the party's members and youths of democratic parties and movements."

Ali ran for president in Egypt's 2012 presidential elections, which saw the election of Islamist president Mohamed Morsi.