Press and Opinion Freedom Observatory Bulletin

The Egyptian Commission for Rights and Freedoms launches its report on violations of press and media freedoms, as well as the rights of journalists and media workers, and the growing restrictions on media outlets. In this report, the Commission highlights the key violations witnessed in the journalistic and media sector throughout March 2025, along with the pressure faced by those working in the field.

The Egyptian Constitution, in Article 70, affirms the freedom of the press and the right of individuals to own and issue newspapers and media outlets, which are to be issued upon notification.

However, Law No. 180 of 2018, known as the Media Regulation and Supreme Media Council Law, restricts constitutional rights. According to its Article 6, it is prohibited to establish websites in the Arab Republic of Egypt, manage them, or operate offices or branches of websites operating outside the country, without obtaining a license from the Supreme Media Council.

Additionally, authorities continue to exercise censorship and block access to both local Egyptian and other Arab websites, often accusing them of spreading false news in accordance with Article 188 of the Penal Code, which accuses journalists of disturbing public order and spreading false news.

Several independent journalistic websites have been blocked since 2017. Article 3 of the Supreme Media Council’s law (Law No. 180 of 2018) states that “Any form of censorship on Egyptian newspapers and media outlets is prohibited, as is their confiscation, suspension, or closure. Exceptions may apply for imposing specific censorship during wartime or national mobilization. In this case, the Supreme Media Council may issue a decision to confiscate printed copies of the newspaper, delete or block material that violates censorship instructions when published on an electronic newspaper, website, or block its rebroadcast on media outlets. Concerned parties may appeal the decision before the Administrative Court.”

The Media Regulation Law grants the Supreme Media Council the authority to block websites, blogs, and social media accounts, making the Council the third authority with such powers after investigation authorities and law enforcement agencies, which have been granted the same authority under the Information Technology Crimes Law.

These blocking decisions violate Article 71 of the Constitution, which “prohibits any form of censorship on Egyptian newspapers and media outlets, their confiscation, suspension, or closure, and the imposition of imprisonment for crimes committed through publication or public declaration.”

One form of violation practiced by the Egyptian judiciary is the phenomenon of recycling journalists and media workers for new cases, by bringing new charges against them while they are already imprisoned, circumventing the law that limits pretrial detention to a maximum of two years.

It is worth noting that Article 143 of the Criminal Procedure Code states: “The period of pretrial detention during the preliminary investigation and all stages of the criminal case should not exceed one-third of the maximum penalty for the offense. This period should not exceed six months for misdemeanors, eighteen months for felonies, and two years if the penalty for the crime is life imprisonment or the death penalty.”

The following are the most prominent press and media freedom violations observed by the Egyptian Commission during March 2025:

Decisions Issued to Renew Detention:

On March 2, 2025, the Supreme State Security Prosecution renewed the detention of journalist Ahmad Bayoumi, working for the Erem News website, for 15 more days pending investigations into case No. 5054 for the year 2024, in which he faces charges of joining a terrorist group and committing crimes related to terrorism financing.
The session was held via video conference, with the journalist appearing on screen from his detention at Borg El Arab Prison, and lawyers present in the courtroom designated for renewal hearings at the New Cairo Court.
His lawyers requested his release on bail or, alternatively, the use of one of the precautionary measures stipulated in Article 201 of the Code of Criminal Procedure.

Security forces had arrested Ahmad Bayoumi from his home in Giza Governorate on September 16, 2024, and detained him for 47 days outside the legal framework, during which his defense team and family were unable to locate him. His brother filed multiple complaints regarding the journalist’s arrest, but no serious investigation was conducted into these reports.

On March 2, 2025, the Supreme State Security Prosecution also renewed the detention of journalist and writer, Said Saber Said Salem, for 15 more days pending investigations in case No. 6499 for the year 2024, Supreme State Security.
It is noted that the journalist was arrested on November 26, 2024, and presented to the State Security Prosecution on November 27, 2024, after publishing a post on his personal Facebook page.

On March 3, 2025, the Supreme State Security Prosecution renewed the detention of journalist and economic expert Abdel Khalek Farouk for 15 more days pending investigations in case No. 4937 for the year 2024, Supreme State Security. He faces charges of joining a terrorist group, spreading false news and information, and misusing social media.
The authorities arrested Abdel Khalek Farouk from his home on October 20, 2024, as announced by his wife on his personal Facebook page. She stated that the security forces had searched their home, confiscated drafts of his books, and taken their laptops and two mobile phones. She expressed concern about his health, as he had not been able to bring his medications with him, which could jeopardize his well-being.

Visual artist Naglaa Salama, Farouk’s wife, requested that her husband be examined by a kidney and urology specialist, and that the defense committee advocate for his medical needs. Farouk suffers from diabetes and high blood pressure. His defense team also requested an exceptional visitation every 15 days to bring him his medications and special food in detention.

It is noteworthy that security forces had previously arrested the economic expert on October 21, 2018, for publishing a book titled “Is Egypt Really a Poor Country?” He was taken to the police station in El-Shorouk City, east of Cairo, before being released on October 29 of the same month.

Abdel Khalek appeared via video conference from his detention at the 10th Rehabilitation Center (6) and requested to speak to the Public Prosecution, a request that was denied.

The defense team present with him requested his release on any bail deemed appropriate by the prosecution or, alternatively, to replace pretrial detention with one of the legally prescribed precautionary measures.

On March 9, 2025, the Supreme State Security Prosecution renewed the detention of journalist Ahmed Sarag for 15 more days pending investigations in case No. 7 for the year 2025, in which he faces charges of joining a terrorist group, spreading false news and statements, committing a crime of terrorism financing, and using the Zat Misr website in the commission of publishing false news.
Sarag was arrested in connection with an interview he conducted and published on the Zat Misr news site with Dr. Nada Mageeth, wife of cartoonist Ashraf Omar, regarding his arrest at their home.

On March 10, 2025, the Terrorism Chamber at the Cairo Criminal Court in New Cairo renewed the detention of journalist Ramadan Gouida Shehata Said Wahdan for 45 days pending investigations in case No. 1568 for the year 2024, Supreme State Security.
Ramadan Gouida Shehata, a journalist at the “Youm7” news website, was arrested on May 1, 2024, from his home in Ashmun, Menoufia Governorate. He remained disappeared for 40 days before appearing on June 10, 2024, before the Supreme State Security Prosecution, which decided to detain him pending investigations in case No. 1568 for the year 2024, in Wadi El-Natrun prison, on charges of “joining a terrorist group and spreading false news.”

On March 10, 2025, the Cairo Criminal Court at the New Cairo Rehabilitation Center renewed the detention of Egyptian translator and cartoonist Ashraf Omar for 45 days pending investigations in case No. 1968 for the year 2024, Supreme State Security, in which he faces charges of joining a terrorist group, spreading false news and statements, and committing a crime of terrorism financing.
The security forces arrested Ashraf Omar from his home on July 22, 2024, and took him to an undisclosed location, where he was illegally detained for two days before being presented to the Supreme State Security Prosecution. He was then charged and remanded in custody pending investigations.

On March 10, 2025, the Terrorism Chamber at the Cairo Criminal Court in New Cairo renewed the detention of journalist Yasser Abu Al-Ala for 45 days pending investigations in case No. 1568 for the year 2024, Supreme State Security, in which he faces charges of joining a terrorist group, spreading false news and statements, and committing a crime of terrorism financing.

On March 12, 2025, the Supreme State Security Prosecution renewed the detention of journalist and economic expert Abdel Khalek Farouk for 45 days pending investigations in case No. 4937 for the year 2024, Supreme State Security, on charges of joining a terrorist group, spreading false news and information, and misusing social media.
The authorities arrested Abdel Khalek Farouk from his home on October 20, 2024, as announced by his wife on his personal Facebook page. She explained that security forces had searched their home, confiscated drafts of his books, as well as their laptops and two mobile phones. She expressed concern about his health, indicating that he was unable to bring his medications with him, which could endanger his health.

Artist Naglaa Salama, Abdel Khalek Farouk’s wife, requested that he be seen by a kidney and urology specialist and that his defense team present him to doctors based on his health condition, as he suffers from diabetes and high blood pressure. The defense also requested an exceptional visitation every 15 days to bring him his medications and special food in detention.

It is worth noting that security forces had previously arrested the economic expert on October 21, 2018, for publishing a book titled “Is Egypt Really a Poor Country?” He was taken to the police station in El-Shorouk City, east of Cairo, before being released on October 29 of the same month.

On March 13, 2025, journalist Dunya Samir Fathy El-Desouki’s detention was renewed for 45 days pending investigations in case No. 440 for the year 2022, Supreme State Security. She was arrested for publishing a video on her Facebook page regarding harassment by the governor of South Sinai.
The Supreme State Security Prosecution interrogated Dunya on May 29, 2022, after her arrest along with her three children two days prior to her investigation. The prosecution charged her with joining a terrorist group, spreading false news, misusing social media, and promoting an act of terrorism.

It is noted that on September 30, 2023, news circulated about the Supreme State Security Prosecution’s decision to release Dunya Samir, along with 60 others detained in connection with political cases, but she was not released.

On March 16, 2025, the Supreme State Security Prosecution renewed the detention of journalist Ahmad Bayoumi for 15 days pending investigations in case No. 5054 for the year 2024, Supreme State Security, in which he faces charges of joining a terrorist group and committing crimes related to terrorism financing.
Security forces had arrested Ahmad Bayoumi from his home in Giza Governorate on September 16, 2024, and detained him outside the legal framework for 47 days, during which his defense team and family were unable to locate him. His brother filed multiple complaints regarding the journalist’s arrest, but no serious investigation was conducted into these reports.

On March 17, 2025, the Supreme State Security Prosecution renewed the detention of journalist Sid Saber Said Salem for 15 days pending investigations in case No. 6499 for the year 2024, Supreme State Security.
It is worth noting that the journalist was arrested on November 26, 2024, and presented to the Supreme State Security Prosecution on November 27, 2024, after he posted a message on his personal Facebook page.

On March 19, 2025, the Terrorism Chamber at the Cairo Criminal Court renewed the detention of journalist Khaled Mamdouh for 45 days pending investigations in case No. 1282 for the year 2024, Supreme State Security, where he faces charges of joining a terrorist group, spreading false news and statements, and committing a crime of terrorism financing.
Khaled Mamdouh was arrested in the early hours of Tuesday, July 16, 2024, from his home in Mokattam and was taken to an undisclosed location for 6 days before being presented to the Supreme State Security Prosecution on July 21, 2024, and charged with the aforementioned allegations.

On March 20, 2025, the Second Terrorism Chamber at the Cairo Criminal Court renewed the detention of journalist and economic expert Abdel Khalek Farouk for 45 days pending investigations in case No. 4937 for the year 2024, Supreme State Security, after charges of joining a terrorist group, spreading false news and information, and misusing social media.
Abdel Khalek Farouk was arrested from his home on October 20, 2024.

On March 23, 2025, the Supreme State Security Prosecution renewed the detention of journalist Ahmed Sarag for 15 days pending investigations in case No. 7 for the year 2025, Supreme State Security, where he faces charges of joining a terrorist group, spreading false news and statements, and committing a crime of terrorism financing, as well as using the Zat Misr website to commit the crime of spreading false news.
Ahmed Sarag was arrested after conducting a journalistic interview published on the Zat Misr news website with Dr. Nada Maghith, the wife of cartoonist Ashraf Omar, regarding the incident of his arrest from their home.

On March 24, 2025, the Terrorism Chamber at the Cairo Criminal Court renewed the detention of journalist Ahmed Bayoumi for 45 days pending investigations in case No. 5054 for the year 2024, Supreme State Security, where he faces charges of joining a terrorist group and committing crimes related to terrorism financing.
Security forces arrested Ahmed Bayoumi from his home in Giza Governorate on September 16, 2024, and held him outside the legal framework for 47 days. During this period, his defense team and family were unable to determine his whereabouts. His brother filed several complaints about his arrest, but no serious investigation was conducted into these reports.

Decisions on Suspension and Banning of Program Broadcasts:

On March 4, 2025, the Supreme Media Council, chaired by Engineer Khaled Abdel Aziz, approved the decision made by the Complaints Committee, headed by journalist Essam El Amir. The council imposed a fine of 100,000 EGP on Al Ahly Channel and decided to suspend the broadcast of the “Al Ahly Guard” program for two weeks. Additionally, journalist Ahmed Shobir was banned from appearing on the channel for the same duration.
This decision followed an investigation conducted by the Complaints Committee, based on a recommendation from the Sports Media Performance Committee, headed by Counselor Abdel Salam El Neggar, a member of the Supreme Media Council, and the complaints received by the committee, as well as the monitoring activities conducted by the council’s monitoring department. The decision was in accordance with Law No. 180 of 2018 and Article 16 of the Penalty Regulations issued by the Supreme Media Council’s Chairman Decision No. 16 of 2019.

On March 6, 2025, the Supreme Media Council, chaired by Engineer Khaled Abdel Aziz, issued a decision to ban the broadcast of the “Shams Stadium” program for one month, and imposed a fine of 100,000 EGP on Shams Channel. The council also banned the program host, Ahmed El Sharif, from appearing on the channel.
The decision to ban the program followed the recommendation of the Complaints Committee, chaired by journalist Essam El Amir, after reviewing violations in the episode broadcast on February 27, 2025.
The violation in question was the episode’s content, which included several breaches, as identified by the council’s monitoring department. The decision was also based on the recommendations of the Sports Media Performance Committee, headed by Counselor Abdel Salam El Neggar, member of the Supreme Media Council, in accordance with Articles 17 and 20 of the Penalty Regulations issued by the Chairman’s Decision No. 16 of 2019.

On March 13, 2025, the Journalists Syndicate, chaired by Dr. Tarek Saada, decided to suspend journalist Ihab El Komi, host of the “Al Match” program on Sada El-Balad Channel, and refer him for investigation due to his statements about facilitating the Egyptian Premier League for the benefit of Pyramids FC.

On March 17, 2025, the Supreme Media Council, chaired by Engineer Khaled Abdel Aziz, imposed a range of penalties and financial fines on several journalists and satellite channels for violating established rules and regulations, based on the recommendation of the Complaints Committee, chaired by Essam El Amir.
The council decided to penalize Shams Channel with a fine of 50,000 EGP for violations in an episode of the “Most Difficult Question” program, broadcast on March 14, 2025, where the guest, Hany El Salahi, made inappropriate statements. The council also instructed all satellite channels to ban the guest from appearing on their screens and informed Dr. Tarek Saada, the head of the Journalists Syndicate, about the violations committed by journalist Mosab El Abbasi.
The council also fined Sada El-Balad Channel 75,000 EGP for violations in an episode of “Al Match,” aired on March 11, 2025, and decided to suspend the program for one month.
In addition, the council issued a warning to Al-Nahar Channel and fined it 100,000 EGP for violations in the “Al Arafa” program, and tasked the General Monitoring Department with tracking the program’s episodes to ensure that the violations are addressed.
The council also issued a warning to the manager of the page named “Islam Sadeq” on Facebook for publishing unverified news that could stir up Egyptian football fans and tasked the monitoring department with ensuring the violation does not recur.

On March 20, 2025, the Supreme Media Council, chaired by Engineer Khaled Abdel Aziz, decided, based on the recommendation of the Complaints Committee headed by Essam El Amir, to fine “Hi” Channel 100,000 EGP and issue a warning to the channel for violating its license conditions, mixing media with advertisements, and airing inappropriate language and behavior in one of its programs.
The council also decided to suspend Hamdy El Sayed, the commentator for the volleyball match between Al Ahly and Zamalek, aired on March 16, 2025, on the Egyptian Volleyball Federation’s YouTube channel. The council informed the Journalists Syndicate to take appropriate action regarding the commentator’s failure to maintain neutrality during his work.
The council also decided to summon the manager of the Zamalek Volleyball Club’s Facebook page for investigation regarding inappropriate images of one of the team players, whose actions were found to be inappropriate towards Al Ahly fans based on investigations conducted by the Egyptian Volleyball Federation. The council also instructed the General Monitoring Department to investigate the impact of this on the sports scene.

On March 25, 2025, the legal representative of Belben Company contacted the Complaints Committee at the Supreme Media Council regarding an advertisement that allegedly harmed Al-Abd Company. The representative confirmed that the advertisement had been modified to comply with the council’s regulations and standards. The General Monitoring Department was tasked with monitoring the advertisement to ensure compliance.
The representative also stated that the advertisement had not been aired on any satellite channel, but only on social media, and confirmed that they were willing to amend it to meet the council’s standards within three days at most.

This came after a complaint from Al-Abd Company to the Supreme Media Council regarding Belben’s advertisement, which they claimed harmed their brand and founder.

On March 25, 2025, the Journalists Syndicate decided to suspend journalist Mosab El Abbasi, host of the “Most Difficult Question” program on Shams Channel, and its producer, for one month due to their failure to obtain the official license from the syndicate to practice media activity.
This decision followed the results of an investigation conducted by the Syndicate’s Investigative Committee, chaired by Maghoub Saada, the General Secretary. The investigation found that both El Abbasi and the producer violated professional standards as outlined in the Media Ethics Charter and the Code of Professional Conduct.

Additionally, Dr. Tarek Saada, head of the Journalists Syndicate and a member of the Senate, announced a decision to suspend journalist Ihab El Komi, a member of the syndicate, from practicing media activity for three weeks.
This decision was based on the results of an investigation conducted by the Syndicate’s Investigative Committee, headed by Maghoub Saada, which found that El Komi violated the Media Ethics Charter and the Code of Professional Conduct.

Dr. Tarek Saada emphasized the syndicate’s commitment to applying professional laws and combating any behaviors that violate established standards, stressing the necessity for all media outlets to ensure that no one engages in media activity without the official license from the syndicate.
The Syndicate warned that violators may face penalties, including the closure of the media outlet, in accordance with Articles 88 and 89 of the Syndicate’s Law No. 93 of 2016.

Complaints and Legal Claims:

On March 3, 2025, a lawyer filed a complaint with the National Council for Women against the series “Ashghal Shakha”(Heavy Labor) accusing it of violating women’s rights and freedoms.
The complaint stated that a woman in the Ramadan drama discusses illicit relationships with any man she meets, including her lover, son, brother, and all the men she interacts with professionally, to the extent that she forgets the names of the lovers with whom she shared her bed, resulting in an illegitimate child.

The complaint submitted to the National Council for Women, whose responsibilities are defined under Law No. 30 of 2018, includes receiving and studying complaints about violations of women’s rights and freedoms, informing the relevant authorities, and promoting a culture of women’s protection through media and drama.

The complaint called for holding accountable such obscene drama and banning the airing of such scenes, considering the scenes in “Ashghal Shakha” to incite vice and immorality.
The complaint also demanded the prohibition of broadcasting such scenes on all media outlets and social media platforms, with appropriate legal action to be taken.

On March 5, 2025, the relevant authorities decided to detain blogger Suzy Al-Urduniya for 15 days pending investigation. She is accused of joining an illegal terrorist group and using social media to spread false news. The investigation into the case includes accusations of joining a terrorist organization and spreading false information. After investigation, it was decided to hold her in custody.

The Public Prosecution in Al-Matariya had previously released Suzy Al-Urduniya following a complaint filed against her by a company accusing her of defaming the company via social media. An arrest order had been issued against her, and she was summoned for investigation, where she remained for three days under investigation. Additionally, the Court of Appeals for Juvenile cases in North Cairo overturned her two-year prison sentence and 300,000 EGP fine. Suzy had appealed the two-year sentence and fine due to accusations of insulting her father during a live broadcast on her personal social media accounts and exploiting her sister, who has special needs, by featuring her in videos for profit. The appeals court canceled the prison sentence but upheld the fine.

On March 5, 2025, the Court of Appeals for October Misdemeanors scheduled a session for May 28 to review the first hearing of director Mohamed Sami’s appeal against the 5,000 EGP fine imposed on him for insulting actress Afaf Shaib and making remarks that tarnished her honor publicly.
The October Misdemeanors Court had previously ordered director Mohamed Sami to pay a 5,000 EGP fine for insulting actress Afaf Shaib and making remarks that tarnished her honor publicly. The Public Prosecution in October had referred the lawsuit filed by Afaf Shaib against director Mohamed Sami to the October Misdemeanors Court on charges of slander and defamation.

On March 8, 2025, the Public Prosecution decided to release Suzy Al-Urduniya without charging her with joining a terrorist group.
The Public Prosecution had received a complaint from a company specializing in recruitment of Egyptian workers abroad, alleging that blogger Maryam Ayman Mohamed El Desouki, known as “Suzy Al-Urduniya,” had posted advertising content on social media without the company’s knowledge, in collaboration with one of its employees. The content was claimed to contain false news and fraud, violating the Anti-Cybercrime Law. After hearing her statement, the Public Prosecution decided to release her without charges related to joining any terrorist or banned groups.

On March 10, 2025, Rami Saleh, an animator at the National Center for Cinema, filed a report at Dokki Police Station accusing Amr Samir Atef, the writer of the series “Al-Sharnaka”, of stealing the idea for the series from a film concept he had previously submitted.
Rami Saleh, the animator at the National Center for Cinema, stated that on May 23, 2023, he had submitted a film idea titled “Zilal” (Shadows) to the Copyright Management Office under the Supreme Council of Culture and received a copyright registration. However, he was surprised when a series titled “Al-Sharnaka” aired with the same idea.
Rami Saleh demanded legal action be taken, and a report was filed with the authorities, who are now investigating the case.

On March 13, 2025, the Administrative Court at the State Council decided to consider the lawsuit filed by lawyer Dr. Hani Samah, which demands the cancellation of the license of Al-Rahma TV Channel, the banning of its social media pages, as well as the suspension of its broadcast and the freezing of its activities. The case is scheduled for a session on May 11.
The lawsuit accuses the channel of promoting extremist Salafi thought, hosting individuals known for their inciteful rhetoric, and using the channel’s platform to promote ideas advocating polygamy.

The lawsuit asserts that the channel violates the Egyptian Constitution and the Media Regulation Law, which prohibits granting licenses to media outlets based on religious grounds or that incite hatred and violence. It also points out that the channel violates the Religious Lectures and Sermons Law, which restricts such activities to certified specialists from the Ministry of Awqaf or Al-Azhar.

The lawsuit calls for the cancellation of the inaction by the Supreme Council for Media Regulation and the National Telecommunications Regulatory Authority, which failed to revoke the channel’s license, suspend its presenters and hosts, and prevent them from engaging in media and religious activities due to their lack of official licenses.

On March 15, 2025, lawyer Ashraf Farhat filed a complaint with the Attorney General against director Fadwa Mowahib, accusing her of insulting Egyptian civilization and provoking the feelings of Egyptians.
The complaint stemmed from a video she posted from inside the Grand Egyptian Museum, where she filmed royal statues in the Grand Hall, placing Quranic verses on them referring to the “accursed Pharaoh,” which sparked widespread outrage on social media.

Farhat pointed out that Mowahib’s actions insult Egyptian history and civilization and attempt to provoke the feelings of Egyptians by associating their ancient heritage with distorted and historically and religiously incorrect ideas.

He also mentioned that Fadwa Mowahib, an Egyptian director of Syrian descent, has previously stirred controversy, notably for her controversial statements on banning wearing hot pants at home and her rejection of the phrase “Ramadan Kareem,” which she considered religiously incorrect, leading to mockery on social media.

On March 19, 2025, the Cairo Economic Court decided to suspend the lawsuit filed by actress Afaf Shaib against director Mohamed Sami, accusing him of slander and defamation, until a ruling is made on the appeal filed by Mohamed Sami.
Afaf Shaib’s lawsuit claims that Mohamed Sami used offensive language toward her.

Shaib filed a compensation lawsuit against director Mohamed Sami for slander and defamation via social media, requesting temporary civil compensation of 5 million EGP.

On March 23, 2025, the Cairo Economic Court decided to postpone the second session of the trial of political activist Wael Ghonim, accused of slandering Turki Al-Sheikh, the chairman of the General Entertainment Authority of Saudi Arabia. The next session is scheduled for April 26.
Turki Al-Sheikh’s defense filed a lawsuit against Wael Ghonim, seeking the maximum penalty and a temporary civil compensation of 200,001 EGP, based on accusations of slander and defamation via social media.

Al-Sheikh had filed an official complaint claiming that he was publicly harassed and slandered by Ghonim through a post on the X platform (formerly Twitter), which included offensive words directly targeting him, which he considered an attack on his honor and dignity.

A report from the General Department of Information Technology revealed that the account used to publish the offensive tweets belonged to Wael Ghonim, and the tweets explicitly targeted the complainant.

On March 23, 2025, the Cairo Economic Court postponed the second session of the lawsuit filed by artist Hani Shaker against art critic Tarek Al-Shanawi over allegations of causing disturbances and misusing social media. The next session is set for April 26.
Shaker’s lawyer, Yasser Qantoush, had filed a complaint with the Attorney General, indicating that Tarek Al-Shanawi had published an article on January 18, 2022, in which he criticized Shaker’s decisions related to the festival singers, claiming that the music scene had become chaotic. He criticized Shaker’s decisions that forced singers to change their names in order to return to singing.

The complaint also mentioned Al-Shanawi’s appearance on several television programs, where he repeatedly criticized Hani Shaker, which Shaker considered an insult to him and his position.

On March 25, 2025, Egyptian legal expert Sabra Al-Qasimi filed a complaint with Attorney General Mohamed Shawky, requesting the closure of the “1XBET” platform in Egypt and criminalizing contracts with it by telecommunications companies and banks.
Al-Qasimi emphasized that the platform is one of the largest global gambling and betting sites, and has been convicted in several countries for fraud, misappropriating users’ funds, and refusing to refund deposits.
He pointed out that Egyptian law criminalizes gambling and penalizes those who practice or promote it with imprisonment and fines, as well as confiscation of any related funds and closure of establishments offering such activities.

Al-Qasimi requested urgent measures to be taken, including shutting down the platform and preventing its branches from operating in Egypt, banning advertisements in newspapers and media, terminating agreements with Egyptian telecommunications companies, and halting any financial transactions with it by Egyptian banks, along with freezing its assets.

On March 25, 2025, the board of directors of Al-Ahly Club, headed by Captain Mahmoud Al-Khatib, submitted a complaint to the Supreme Council for Media Regulation against the March 22, 2025 episode of the “Malab El-Balad” program aired on the “Sada El-Balad” satellite channel, hosted by Marco Murad.
The complaint confirmed that the episode violated the regulations and standards issued by the Supreme Council for Media Regulation, which is the same complaint filed by Zamalek Club regarding the same episode.

On March 27, 2025, the Cairo Economic Court decided to postpone the trial of content creator Ahmed Ali, known as “Krowan Mashakel,” in the case of slander and defamation against media personality Riham Said, to April 10, 2025, for further legal procedures.
This is the second case in a series of lawsuits filed by Riham Said against “Krowan Mashakel,” following videos he posted on the “TikTok” platform that contained phrases she deemed offensive and defamatory. The court had already convicted him in the first case and sentenced him to two months in prison.

The incident dates back to September 2024 when Riham Said filed an official complaint accusing “Krowan Mashakel” of posting offensive content on social media, prompting legal actions.

Cases in which Judgments Were Issued:

March 2, 2025
The Administrative Court issued a ruling to suspend actor Mido Adel from work for 4 months. This ruling came after he was accused of assaulting actress Laila Souidan and tearing down the banners of a theater.
The incident began after a formal complaint filed by Laila Souidan with the legal affairs department of the Ministry of Culture last year, accusing Mido Adel of insulting and attacking her on the stage of the Balloon Theater during the play Sayed Darwish. She also accused him of slapping her in the face. Investigations revealed that after the performance ended, an argument broke out between the two in front of the audience, escalating into a physical altercation, leading Laila to seek legal action.
The court’s decision confirmed the commitment of art institutions to protect artists’ rights and uphold regulations governing theater work.

March 3, 2025
The Economic Court of Egypt sentenced former Zamalek Club president Mortada Mansour to 6 months in prison in a lawsuit filed by Al Ahly Club president Mahmoud Al-Khatib.
The court also fined Mansour 40,000 EGP and ordered him to pay a temporary compensation of 20,000 EGP to the victim in case number 692 for 2023.
Mansour had been accused of slander and defamation against Al-Khatib and the Al Ahly board through his personal Facebook page and TV appearances.
It’s worth noting that in February 2023, the Court of Cassation rejected Mansour’s appeal against a 1-month prison sentence for slandering Al-Khatib.

March 4, 2025
The Court of Appeal upheld the 1-year sentence for blogger Hadeer Abdelrazek, who was convicted for spreading immorality on social media.
The investigations revealed that she posted inappropriate photos and videos on platforms like Facebook, Instagram, YouTube, and TikTok, involving suggestive language and images violating public decency. The court found that she had publicly engaged in lewd actions and published sexually suggestive material, violating the community’s moral values.

March 11, 2025
The Hegemony Court of Appeals rejected an appeal by the maid, Hala Sadiqi (“Hassnia Ali Alyan”), against the decision of the Public Prosecution to dismiss her complaint against actress Hala Sadiqi for lack of a criminal offense.
The complaint involved an amount of money allegedly given by Sadiqi to the complainant, which the complainant accused Sadiqi of withholding through fraudulent means. The court ruled that no crime had been committed and that the money was given voluntarily.

March 12, 2025
The Economic Court set a session for May 8, 2025, to consider the appeal by former Zamalek Club president Mortada Mansour against his 6-month prison sentence for slandering Al Ahly Club president Mahmoud Al-Khatib and Al Ahly’s legal advisor Mohamed Othman.
The court also set a hearing for May 5, 2025, for Mansour’s appeal in another defamation case.
In March, the Economic Court sentenced Mansour to 6 months in prison for slandering Al-Khatib and Mohamed Othman, but he was acquitted of 5 other lawsuits filed by the same plaintiffs. Mansour was also fined 40,000 EGP and ordered to pay 20,000 EGP as temporary compensation.

March 15, 2025
The Economic Court in Tanta acquitted YouTuber Ahmed Abu Zaid, one of the most famous educational content creators, after being accused of foreign currency trading in case number 97 of 2025, Tanta.
The prosecution had referred Ahmed Abu Zaid to court after a security raid at his home, where they found a large amount of foreign currency totaling 163,000 USD along with a mobile phone, accusing him of illegal foreign currency dealings outside the banking system.

March 17, 2025
The Economic Court in Cairo sentenced a famous blogger to 1 month in prison, fined him 20,000 EGP, and ordered him to pay a 10,000 EGP compensation to media personality Radwa El-Sherbiny.
The blogger had been accused of defamation and slander against Radwa El-Sherbiny by posting offensive content about her on social media, including calling her derogatory names. The court confirmed the sentence based on the evidence presented, emphasizing that such cybercrimes require firm action to protect individuals’ private lives and maintain public morals.

Here’s the translation:

On March 19, 2025, the Cairo Economic Court sentenced TikToker “Krowan Meshakil” (Crown of Problems), who was accused of defaming and insulting producer Layla El Shabah, to 3 months in prison, a fine of 20,000 EGP, and a bail of 5,000 EGP. The security forces in Cairo arrested TikToker Krowan Meshakil in Hadayek El Quba on charges of defamation and insulting Layla El Shabah, as well as for executing judicial rulings.

On March 25, 2025, legal advisor Yasser Qantous announced the victory of his client, singer Sherine Abdel Wahab, in her case against the production company “Rotana”, after years of dispute and the removal of her songs from platforms. The court obligated Rotana to pay 2 million EGP. Qantous posted on his official Facebook page confirming that the Fifth Circuit of the Cairo Economic Court ordered Rotana to pay the amount as compensation for the harm caused to Sherine due to the removal of her songs, noting that the contract between them had ended as per the court ruling.

He added that the court also dismissed case No. 2127/17, in which Rotana had requested to stop broadcasting Sherine’s songs “Elly Yoqabil Habibi”, “Betmanna Ansak”, and “Nahfel”, and ruled that the songs should continue to be broadcast and imposed the compensation.

Qantous congratulated Sherine on his personal Facebook account, saying: “Congratulations to Sherine Abdel Wahab for her victory over Rotana and proving to everyone that she was right about ending her relationship with them.”

On March 25, 2025, the Second Terrorism Circuit, held at the Badr Court Complex and presided over by Judge Wagdy Abdel-Monem, acquitted a defendant in the case widely known in the media as the “Marriott Cell” case. The Court of Cassation had previously accepted the appeal of 18 defendants, including four foreigners from Al-Jazeera correspondents, in the “Marriott Media Cell” case, on sentences ranging from 3 to 10 years in prison. Two others were acquitted, and their case was returned for retrial before a different court.

The Cairo Criminal Court, which convened at the Police Academy in Tora, had sentenced 18 defendants, including four foreign Al-Jazeera correspondents, to prison sentences ranging from 3 to 10 years, with two others acquitted.

Requests for the release of political prisoners:

On March 1, 2025, MP Freddy El-Bayadi submitted an urgent request to the Prime Minister, the Minister of Justice, and the Minister of the Interior, asking for the release of blogger Alaa Abdel-Fattah. He stated that, based on Article 134 of the Constitution and Article 212 of the internal regulations of the House of Representatives, he was submitting an urgent request regarding the continued detention of political activist Alaa Abdel-Fattah despite the completion of his sentence on September 28, 2024, and the absence of any new charges against him.

He continued, saying, “Our Constitution stipulates in Article 54 that personal freedom is a natural right and is inviolable, and except in cases of flagrante delicto, no one should be arrested, searched, or detained except by a justified judicial order that necessitates the investigation.”

He added that, according to Article 480 of the Criminal Procedure Code, the duration of a sentence begins from the day the sentence is executed, and the person should be released the day after the sentence expires unless there are other pending charges.

He concluded, “Therefore, Alaa Abdel-Fattah’s continued detention after the completion of his sentence is a clear violation of the law that mandates his immediate release unless he is being detained for a new case.”

El-Bayadi also noted the critical humanitarian situation of Dr. Leila Suwaif, Alaa Abdel-Fattah’s mother, who had gone on an open hunger strike demanding her son’s release. Dr. Leila’s health had deteriorated as she refused to take glucose, despite her blood sugar levels reaching a dangerously low level of 1.8, which put her life at risk.

Dr. Leila began her hunger strike on September 30, 2024, and had continued until her son’s release, as Alaa had completed his five-year sentence without being released.

In a post on social media, Mona Seif, Dr. Leila’s daughter, mentioned that doctors advised her mother to take glucose urgently, but she refused, insisting that her only reason for doing so was her willingness to sacrifice her life for the freedom of Alaa. Mona said, “I’m not sure what will happen next, but what I know for sure is that we should not have reached this point. Alaa, and thousands of others, should never have been imprisoned in the first place. Despite this, he served his unjust sentence, and yet the Egyptian system refuses to release him!”

She concluded: “They are killing my mother, and in doing so, they are killing my brother as well. For what? A blind, petty revenge.”

On March 23, 2025, journalist Khaled El-Balshi, head of the Journalists Syndicate, renewed his calls for the release of all imprisoned journalists and for a pardon for those who have been sentenced, especially with the approaching Eid al-Fitr.

El-Balshi stated on his Facebook page that more than 24 families of his journalist colleagues are waiting for the joy of their loved ones’ release. He said, “Their only dream might be a humanitarian decision that would bring a smile to their faces and restore meaning to their lives. Shouldn’t they be answered?”

He added, “As the last days of Ramadan approach and Eid draws near, I renew the demands of the Journalists Syndicate to release all imprisoned colleagues, pardon those sentenced, and free all prisoners of conscience, especially peaceful opponents and those imprisoned for their solidarity with Palestine.”

El-Balshi concluded, “This is a humanitarian plea to the relevant authorities to close this painful chapter and end the suffering of the families of 24 colleagues, who have been paying the price of their absence. 24 colleagues, of whom more than 15 have spent over two years in pretrial detention, some for as long as five years, and others even up to seven years. Nothing stands in the way of their release except a different perspective and a humanitarian decision to end their prolonged suffering.”

El-Balshi emphasized that the issue of imprisonment goes beyond numbers to the difficult human reality that prisoners and their families are experiencing. He said, “On Eid, we say our celebration will not be complete until there is a different vision, one that combines the humanitarian with the political, addressing the issue of detainees from a perspective that extends beyond legal rights, focusing also on national unity and the suffering of the prisoners’ families. This includes opening up the public space and freeing the press from imposed restrictions.”

He concluded, “We cannot but reiterate our legitimate demands to clear the prisons of all political detainees and pay attention to the souls of our imprisoned colleagues and the aching hearts of their families, who await their release. We hope our joy will be complete with their release, a goal we will never stop pursuing, no matter the obstacles.”