Egypt's High State Security Prosecution has ordered the 15-day detention of well-known Egyptian blogger and journalist Wael Abbas pending investigations into charges including spreading false news.

Abbas, an award-winning journalist, blogger and human rights activist, was arrested at his home early on Wednesday.

Abbas is facing charges including deliberately "broadcasting false news, information and statements with the aim of disturbing public peace and undermining trust in state institutions," a judicial source told Ahram Online. 

He is also accused of cooperating with an illegal group, the source added.

Abbas posted on Facebook in Arabic early Wednesday: “I’m being arrested,” and his lawyer later said that his whereabouts were unknown.

Abbas was a fierce critic of the Brotherhood during the rule of ousted Islamist president Mohamed Morsi. He has also been strongly critical of the government of Egyptian President Abdel-Fattah El-Sisi.

Abbas was one of the leading bloggers in Egypt in the 2000s, strongly criticising government policies and police brutality during the rule of then-president Hosni Mubarak.

In 2007, Abbas was awarded the International Center for Journalists’ Knight International Journalism Award.