An Egyptian human rights activist known for his advocacy for the rights of Christians and other minorities was arrested in the early hours of Thursday morning at his home in Cairo.

The Egyptian Commission for Rights and Freedoms said in a brief press release that Mina Thabet, the NGO's programme director for minorities and marginalised groups, was arrested by plainclothes police.

The statement said that police were moving Thabet to "an undisclosed location" in a civilian-marked car.

Ahmed Abdallah, the president of the commission's board, was arrested last month, also from his home.