Egypt has arrested Dr. Ayman Mansour Nada, a media professor who criticized pro-regime media figures close to the regime.
Rassd News Network posted a tweet, saying: Professor of Mass Communication at Cairo University Dr. Ayman Nada has appeared at the Public Prosecution office hours after his family had confirmed his arrest a few days ago on charges of “intimidating state institutions.”
Social media networks circulated photos of Dr. Ayman Nada, handcuffed while sitting on the stairs at the Public Prosecution office, along with other defendants.
In a series of articles circulated on social media, Nada said that the opposition media abroad had reached a wider audience among Egyptians than the media within Egypt.
In his article, Nada accused official agencies of exerting control over the media.
Nada, who worked in the Media Faculty at Cairo University, also submitted a report to the Attorney General criticizing the President of Cairo University, Mohamed Othman Elkhosht, accusing him of corruption and wasting public funds.
Mosaad Albarbari, a media professional, has tweeted saying:
The attached pictures are for Prof. Dr. Ayman Mansour Nada, Professor of Media at Cairo University, during his investigation session at the Prosecution Office after his arrest because of his articles that criticized the performance of Al-Sisi media! They made the man sit on the stairs of the prosecution in the midst of pickpockets, registrants and drug dealers. This is a heart-breaking humiliating scene that I experienced myself!
However, the public prosecutor ignored the evidence submitted by Nada and arrested him instead.
Nada was dismissed from Cairo University in March in a move designed to appease the media who were angered by his criticism.
Before he was arrested Nada said that Mohamed Elkosht threatened him in an effort to stop him from releasing the article.
According to activists, Ayman is being held in Awal El-Tagamo police station and will today stand before an investigative judge on charges of “intimidating and disrupting state institutions,” under the terror law.
The Egyptian regime has cracked down on a number of academics as part of its campaign against free speech.
