The managing editor of Egyptian news website Masr Al-Arabiya was released on Friday after spending a night in police detention, Aswat Masriya reported, following his arrest on charges of “spreading false news."
Ahmed Abdel-Gawad was arrested on Thursday when security forces stormed the headquarters of the privately owned website.
He was charged with spreading false news and “inciting violence against the state” on the upcoming anniversary of the 25 January revolution.
Police also confiscated seven computers used by the website “on allegations that they are harmful to national security", the website said in a statement.
Also on Thursday, Egyptian security forces arrested Taher Mokhtar, a member of the Doctors Syndicate and a long-time revolutionary socialist activist, as well as detaining political activist and poet Omar Hazek for two hours at Cairo International Airport.
Mokhtar remains in custody; charges against the 30-year-old are unclear. Hazek was prevented from boarding a flight to the Netherlands where he had been due to receive an award for freedom of expression. He is facing a travel ban due to security concerns.
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