Egyptian journalist Karim Assaad has been released a day after he was arrested by security forces for publishing an article exposing the identities of Egyptians aboard a plane to Zambia which was carrying a huge amount of cash and weapons. The article carrying these revelations was published in Matsda2sh, the fact-checking news outlet that Assaad co-founded. Assaad was reportedly arrested in the early hours of Saturday and was released on Sunday. After his release, the news outlet expressed gratitude to journalists and human rights activists for their support and solidarity.
According to reports and statements from Assaad’s wife, ten armed and uniformed security officers, along with several others in plain clothes, stormed into the journalist’s home in al-Shorouk, a satellite city in the eastern part of the Egyptian capital Cairo around 1.30 am on Saturday morning while the couple along with their son were sleeping. The officers proceeded to verbally abuse and manhandle Assaad and his wife, and threatened to harm their son. They confiscated a number of valuable items from the journalist’s house, such as mobile phones, a laptop, a personal computer, jewelry, and around 8,000 Egyptian pounds in cash. The officers also forced Assaad to give them access to the news outlet’s account and deleted the two articles which disclosed the identities of the Egyptian officials on the plane. Additionally, Egyptian authorities reportedly targeted a number of the site’s employees and its website was attacked and breached.
The plane in question was seized by Zambian authorities on August 14 in Lusaka. Among its passengers were a major in the Egyptian army and a police lieutenant. 13 people have been arrested in connection with the case, including some foreign nationals. The plane was found to be carrying over USD 5.5 million in cash and some weapons. Zambian authorities are investigating the incident.
Dozens of journalists are behind bars in Egypt and authorities have banned access to around 600 local and international news outlets.
