The Egyptian Commission for Rights and Freedoms launches its monthly bulletin on violations against the press, media professionals, and the restrictions imposed on media outlets. This bulletin highlights the most prominent violations observed in the journalistic and media fields during December 2025, as well as the pressures faced by media workers.
Press and media freedom continues to face violations through oppressive legislation that contradicts international human rights principles, or through the non-implementation of laws designed to protect these freedoms. Unjust laws that control professional and union organization, as well as journalists’ and media workers’ working conditions, pose a clear challenge to the Egyptian Constitution, which guarantees the free flow of information under Article 68, press freedom under Article 70, and prohibits imprisonment for publishing and expression under Article 71.
One form of judicial violation in Egypt is the recycling of journalists on new charges while already in detention, circumventing the law that limits pretrial detention to a maximum of two years.
During 2025, the number of imprisoned journalists rose to at least 23, detained on political grounds—either in pretrial detention without referral to trial, or through rulings from the exceptional State Security misdemeanor and felony courts. Detention periods varied from months to years.
Egypt ranks 170th in the 2025 World Press Freedom Index issued by Reporters Without Borders, which evaluates press freedom in 180 countries and territories annually. This is the same ranking as the previous year, keeping Egypt among the ten “worst countries globally” due to government repression and restrictions on media coverage of events and crises.
In 2024, Egypt had the sixth-highest number of imprisoned journalists worldwide, according to the Committee to Protect Journalists.
The following are the main violations against press and media freedoms documented by the Egyptian Commission during December 2025:
Decisions to Renew Detention
7 December 2025: The First Terrorism Chamber of the Cairo Criminal Court, convening at Badr Prison Rehabilitation Center, postponed the third session of the trial of journalist Ahmed Bayoumi and several other journalists in Case No. 977 of 2017 (State Security Supreme Court), registered as Case No. 15661 of 2024, Nasr City First Criminal Court, to 2 February 2026 to summon witnesses listed in the evidentiary documents.
According to the referral order issued by the Supreme State Security Prosecution, the accused, including Ahmed Bayoumi, face charges of joining a terrorist group, participating in a criminal agreement aimed at committing terrorist acts, obstructing constitutional and legal provisions, preventing state institutions and public authorities from performing their duties, and violating citizens’ personal rights and freedoms.
Security forces had arrested Ahmed Bayoumi from his home in Giza on 16 September 2024, detaining him extrajudicially for 47 days, during which his defense team and family were unaware of his whereabouts. His brother filed multiple complaints about his detention, but no serious investigation followed.
8 December 2025: The Supreme State Security Prosecution in New Cairo renewed the detention of journalist Safaa El-Kourbigi for 15 days pending investigation in Case No. 7256 of 2025 (Supreme State Security). She faces charges of joining a terrorist group, spreading false news, committing a crime related to terrorism financing, and using an internet account to commit a crime.
El-Kourbigi had been arrested at her home on the morning of 6 October 2025 and taken to a security facility before being presented to the Supreme State Security Prosecution the same evening, which ordered her pretrial detention.
8 December 2025: The First Terrorism Chamber of the Cairo Criminal Court, convening at Badr Prison Court Complex, postponed the trial of journalist Mostafa El-Khatib and 35 other defendants in Case No. 647 of 2020 (Supreme State Security) to 2 February 2026 to continue hearing witnesses and arguments.
El-Khatib was arrested from his home on 13 October 2019 following a report he published with the Associated Press about British students leaving Egypt amid unrest during the protests called by contractor Mohamed Ali in September 2019. He denied involvement with the report and was investigated in Case No. 488 of 2019, charged with joining a terrorist group, spreading false news, and misusing social media. He was unexpectedly transferred in January 2025 from Badr Prison to the prosecution to face a new case currently before the court.
22 December 2025: The Supreme State Security Prosecution in New Cairo renewed the detention of journalist Safaa El-Kourbigi for 15 days pending investigation in Case No. 7256 of 2025 (Supreme State Security).
23 December 2025: The First Terrorism Chamber of the Cairo Criminal Court, convening at the Cairo Appeals Center, renewed the detention of journalist Mohamed Saad Khattab Heggy for 45 days pending investigation in Case No. 2063 of 2023. He is accused of spreading false news and misusing social media (Twitter).
Khattab was arrested from his office in Nasr City on 19 August 2023, detained overnight at the National Security headquarters in Abbasiya, and subjected to psychological and physical abuse, including being left handcuffed and unclothed until presented to the Supreme State Security Prosecution the following day. He suffers from coronary artery disease (requiring four stents), hypertension, diabetes, prior neck and back surgeries, and has pins in one foot, requiring daily medical care.
29 December 2025: The Second Terrorism Chamber of the Cairo Criminal Court postponed the trial of journalist Raouf Obeid to 8 March 2026 in Case No. 670 of 2022 (Supreme State Security), registered as Case No. 16294 of 2024, Nasr City First Criminal Court. He faces charges of joining a terrorist group with knowledge of its goals and methods. Obeid was initially arrested on 7 July 2022 and disappeared for several days before being presented to the Supreme State Security Prosecution.
30 December 2025: The Second Terrorism Chamber of the Cairo Criminal Court postponed the trial of photojournalist Hamdy El-Zaem to 25 March 2026 in Case No. 955 of 2020 (Supreme State Security), registered as Case No. 29 of 2025, Fifth Settlement Criminal Court.
El-Zaem faces charges of joining a terrorist group and participating in a criminal agreement to commit a terrorist act. He was first arrested on 5 January 2021 during precautionary measures in his earlier case, detained in an unknown location for 12 days before being presented to the prosecution and held pending investigation.
According to his daughter, Mirna El-Zaem, he suffered a stroke in prison affecting his leg, has diabetes and high blood pressure, and poor eyesight, and she requested authorities release him as the sole breadwinner of the family.
El-Zaem was originally arrested on 26 September 2016 on the steps of the Journalists’ Syndicate and remained in pretrial detention until 13 June 2018, following precautionary measures he continued to comply with until his subsequent re-arrest.
Arrest of Journalists:
On 7 December 2025, Egyptian media figure Quswa El-Khallaly issued an urgent appeal to President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi, requesting intervention to stop what she described as violations against her and her family. She reported that her home had been raided by a masked, armed force, leading to the arrest of her brother Monther El-Khallaly—owner of “Bastet Comedia for Media”—and the editor-in-chief of the website “Egyptic,” journalist Ahmed Rifaat, whom she claimed were forcibly disappeared and had their personal belongings and filming equipment seized.
El-Khallaly stated that she had attempted to contact official authorities without receiving any response, and emphasized that since August 2024 she had been subjected to a systematic campaign to prevent her media appearances, terminate her contracts, and suspend her program “Evening with Quswa” without justification, in addition to pressure and intimidation targeting her team and professional environment.
She added that she had previously served as a political advisor to national institutions and worked in the Office of the Presidency, noting that what is happening against her is a “settling of scores” that should not affect her family members or colleagues.
El-Khallaly concluded her appeal by urging the President to intervene immediately to release her brother and journalist Ahmed Rifaat and to stop what she described as “unbearable injustice,” stressing that she turns to the President “after God” to protect her rights and her family’s dignity.
The Supreme State Security Prosecution released that evening Monther El-Khallaly and Ahmed Rifaat on bail of EGP 20,000 each, after they were charged with publishing false news.
Security authorities clarified that regarding a social media post in which a media figure claimed her brother, the chairman of a news website, and its editor-in-chief were arrested unlawfully and forcibly disappeared, the facts were different. On 2 December 2025, the Head of the Poultry Division at the Chambers of Commerce filed a complaint against the mentioned website for publishing statements attributed to him with his photo under the title: “Rotten and Dyed Poultry Floods Markets”, which he denied making or authorizing.
The prosecution ordered the arrest and presentation of the website’s chairman and editor-in-chief, which was executed, and they were brought before the public prosecution. The Journalists’ Syndicate was informed, given that one of them is a member, and all procedures were carried out within the framework of legality and law.
Referral to Criminal Trial
On 2 December 2025, the Supreme State Security Prosecution referred 11 defendants in Case No. 1568 of 2024 (State Security Supreme Court) to the Terrorism Criminal Court, including journalist Yasser Abu Al-Alaa and his wife Naglaa Fathy, while keeping them in pretrial detention. The referral followed accusations of “joining a group established in violation of the law” and “committing a financing crime.”
Abu Al-Alaa had been arrested from his residence on 10 March 2024 while awaiting trial in another terrorism case. He was forcibly disappeared and unable to attend hearings or have his lawyer or family follow up on his situation. He was deprived of the right to present his defense and was considered absent, despite being in custody.
On 10 November 2024, the Terrorism Criminal Court sentenced Abu Al-Alaa in absentia to life imprisonment in Case No. 339 of 2022, despite him already being detained for another case since March 2024.
On 27 April 2024, security forces raided his home again and arrested his wife and sister, who remained forcibly disappeared until 11 May 2024.
Release Orders
On 15 December 2025, the Supreme State Security Prosecution released journalist and political sociology researcher Dr. Ammar Ali Hassan on bail of EGP 20,000 after he was accused of publishing false news in Case No. 10204 of 2025 (Supreme State Security), following a complaint filed against him by Field Marshal Kamel El-Wazir.
Mistreatment of Journalists
On 6 December 2025, journalist Mina Salah, a member of the Journalists’ Syndicate general assembly, filed an official complaint with Minister of Interior Major General Mahmoud Tawfiq, alleging that he was humiliated at Al-Marg Police Station by a lieutenant despite being a complainant and victim in a fight.
Salah stated that on 5 December 2025, after requesting assistance at 6:10 pm, the police arrived at 6:35 pm and took him to the station with the other party. He was reportedly mocked by the officer, who said: “You’re a journalist? So what? Stand against the wall.” The investigation chief later corrected the situation after verifying Salah’s press credentials.
He also stated that the officer had confiscated his phone in the police vehicle without legal basis, even though he was not a suspect, and no prosecution order authorized this action. The matter ended with reconciliation with the other party. Salah emphasized that the treatment amounted to abuse of authority, degrading conduct, and violation of his rights, despite seeking police protection.
On 10 December 2025, the Qena security directorate arrested individuals accused of assaulting journalist Abdo Morqabi, editor-in-chief of Al-Shara’ Al-Qenawi, and smashing his car windows for supporting a parliamentary candidate. Social media posts and videos showed masked attackers striking Morqabi and breaking his windshield with a rifle, as he spoke on the phone and the assailants chanted a candidate’s name. His mobile phone was also stolen.
Authorities identified and arrested the perpetrators, who confessed and led police to recover the weapon and the victim’s phone. The attack occurred during re-elections in four constituencies in Qena, including Qus, and the case was referred to the prosecution, which detained the suspects for four days pending investigation.
On 26 December 2025, the Freedoms Committee of the Journalists’ Syndicate condemned the blatant violations faced by colleagues in Port Said on 23 and 25 December, including the physical assault of journalist Heba Sobih by a local official, harassment, and violations of decency during the governorate’s national holiday celebrations.
The committee stated that the attacks reflected a flagrant disregard for professional laws and standards, in the presence of officials who failed to act, and highlighted that the poor organization was entirely the responsibility of Port Said governorate, not the journalists.
The committee demanded accountability for the officials responsible, emphasizing that protection of female journalists from physical and moral violations is a constitutional obligation and that the syndicate will pursue all legal and union measures to confront such breaches.
Low Wages for Journalists:
On 6 December 2025, journalists at Al-‘Ummal Newspaper, published by the General Federation of Egyptian Trade Unions (GFETU), called on the union’s management to implement the minimum wage gradually—not only for the newspaper’s journalists but for all employees of the federation and its affiliated departments, including institutions, public unions, and local federations—to set an example for the private sector.
The journalists emphasized that the union itself had previously called for the minimum wage to be implemented and increased periodically, as part of its union responsibility, and therefore it is especially obliged to apply it to its own staff. They noted that the GFETU, as a member of the National Wage Council, participated in issuing a unanimous decision that legally binds all private sector institutions without exception, as announced by the Minister of Labor, and must therefore start by applying it internally.
The journalists highlighted that their wages are meager and do not match the minimum wage stipulated by the National Wage Council’s decision, which set the private sector minimum wage at EGP 7,000 effective 1 March 2025, with a mandatory regular allowance of at least 3% of the insurance contribution salary, not less than EGP 250 per month.
In an official complaint signed by multiple journalists and sent to the Prime Minister, Ministry of Labor, and the Journalists’ Syndicate, they accused the union of manipulating wages and failing to comply with decisions regarding the minimum wage, including gradual increments and financial adjustments. This has led to injustice against many employees, particularly experienced staff. Among the practices reported:
- Inclusion of bonuses and allowances in the base salary: The union reportedly included grants, bonuses, allowances, and monthly incentives in the base salary to appear close to the private sector minimum, knowing that the employer’s share is included. This makes any increase theoretical, with employees not feeling a real raise.
- Neglecting seniority in wage progression: Lack of a financial and administrative regulation for journalists, along with non-submission to the union’s internal regulations, has caused unfair equalization between long-serving employees (over 20 years) and newly hired staff, severely affecting experienced employees’ financial situation and motivation.
- Unequal distribution of special incentives: Despite financial difficulties, the union reportedly used emergency funds from the Workers’ Emergency Fund to pay salaries while favoring certain journalists with 30% bonuses over others, causing internal tensions, protests, and intervention by the Journalists’ Syndicate. A resolution agreement was made but has yet to be implemented.
The journalists stressed that the union’s failure to apply the minimum wage internally is a clear violation of labor law and legal penalties, undermining its union role in protecting workers’ rights. They demanded that the Ministry of Labor:
- Immediately intervene to compel the GFETU to implement the National Wage Council’s minimum wage decision, including gradual increments, for all employees.
- Take necessary legal measures under labor law to ensure compliance and prevent repeated violations.
On 11 December 2025, the International Federation of Journalists (IFJ) joined its affiliate, the Egyptian Journalists’ Syndicate (EJS), in supporting journalists’ demands to implement the minimum wage according to national labor law. IFJ Secretary-General Anthony Bellanger stated:
“We strongly support our colleagues at Al-Bawaba News in their legitimate call to enforce the legal minimum wage. Their demand is merely the implementation of labor law. We urge the employer to engage constructively with the Egyptian Journalists’ Syndicate and fulfill its legal obligations. No media worker should be forced to live on a wage below the legal minimum.”
On 17 December 2025, four French unions expressed full support for the journalists’ sit-in at Al-Bawaba News, which had entered its first month, amid continued refusal by management to pay salaries and implement the minimum wage. A statement from the unions said:
“The National Union of Journalists in France supports their Egyptian colleagues at Al-Bawaba, who have been on sit-in for a month demanding their salaries be raised to the legal minimum wage.”
Despite the start of negotiations, the owner continuously refuses to meet their demands. The average monthly salary of a journalist at Al-Bawaba News is EGP 2,000 (~€36), while the public sector minimum wage stands at EGP 7,000 (~€126).
The IFJ and other international journalist unions, including the French SNJ, SNJ-CGT, CFDT-Journalistes (Finland), and SGJ-FO, support their Egyptian colleagues in demanding decent working conditions and wages that allow them to perform their public service responsibly.
On 30 December 2025, journalists at Al-Fagr Newspaper issued a statement regarding the ongoing crisis at their institution, highlighting the suspension of the print edition and months of delayed salaries. They affirmed their insistence on their legal rights and pursuit of fair solutions to preserve their dignity and job stability.
They praised the Journalists’ Syndicate for its ongoing support and recognized efforts by the United Media Services Company to contain the crisis and seek solutions that protect employees’ rights.
The journalists urged all concerned parties and the newspaper owners to fulfill their legal and professional obligations, implement previously agreed salary payments, and refrain from actions that may escalate pressures, including any attempts to close the newspaper’s headquarters.
They called for full and constructive negotiations in a transparent environment to reach fair and sustainable solutions, emphasizing that the payment of overdue salaries is an essential, inalienable right and a key step to resolve the crisis.
Finally, the journalists affirmed that they would legally resist any attempt to close their newspaper headquarters, considering any such action a clear evasion of responsibility toward the rights of journalists and staff.
Sit-ins and Protests:
On 1 December 2025, journalists staging a sit-in at the Al-Bawaba News headquarters issued a strongly worded statement refuting claims made by the newspaper’s resigning Chairman, Abdel Rahim Ali. They argued that his proposals represented blatant legal violations and attempts to undermine employees’ rights.
The journalists emphasized that his proposals directly contravene Law No. 14 of 2025, particularly Article 240, which prohibits full or partial closure of institutions during labor disputes. They also noted the disregard for legal procedures outlined in Articles 236–239 regarding closures and liquidation, which require official committees appointed by the Prime Minister, not announcements on Facebook, as stated in their statement.
The sit-in participants described Abdel Rahim Ali’s accusations that the protest was “an act of revenge” as false, aimed at politicizing a professional dispute. They stressed that Article 231 of the Labor Law guarantees their right to strike and claim their full rights, and that the current crisis is purely professional, stemming from legal violations and non-compliance with journalists’ rights.
The statement also highlighted the sacrifices journalists have made over the years, from field coverage under fire to accepting low salaries, while salaries for all except those close to management were reduced. They rejected any attempt to hold employees responsible for the newspaper’s financial collapse, asserting that poor management and lack of transparency are the true causes of the crisis.
Regarding the claim that the general assembly could only accommodate a limited number of employees, the statement noted that during a 23 November 2025 meeting, the newspaper’s legal representative admitted to preparing lists of employees the management wished to retain and lists for settlement, reflecting a deliberate intent to eliminate those demanding the minimum wage, in violation of Article 239, which sets objective criteria for any restructuring.
The journalists also rejected the notion that the syndicate imposed an unrealistic solution, affirming that implementing the minimum wage is a legal right that cannot be negotiated. Their proposals from the start of the crisis included compromise solutions to alleviate the institution’s financial burdens.
The statement concluded that management’s proposed scenarios are not solutions but attempts to evade legal responsibility, emphasizing that employees’ rights and entitlements, including liquidation rights, are legally binding obligations, not voluntary initiatives or negotiable options.
On 14 December 2025, journalists at Al-Bawaba News reported that management escalated measures against the sit-in by cutting off their internet, disrupting their work, in contradiction to prior commitments to respect journalistic freedom within the sit-in premises.
The journalists added that the administration also prevented cleaning staff from servicing the premises, causing the spread of pests, which they described as an inhumane pressure tactic aimed at forcing the sit-in to end.
They affirmed that these measures would not deter them, asserting their commitment to their legitimate rights and readiness to continue the sit-in after 28 days of resilience until their demands are met.
The journalists held Chairman Abdel Rahim Ali—or his representative—fully responsible for any health, professional, or safety risks resulting from these measures and warned that continued abuses could compel them to take lawful action to defend their rights.
They concluded by reaffirming that they would not back down from claiming their full rights, regardless of the sit-in’s duration or the diversity of pressure tactics.
On 22 December 2025, the journalists stated that most of their colleagues maintain constant contact and support, acknowledging that everyone has their own approach to claiming rights. They explained that some colleagues abstained from the sit-in out of fear of management, aware that the administration has no limits in punishing dissenters. The sit-in journalists demanded that management disclose the names of those allegedly opposing the protest—claimed to be over 100 journalists—to prevent exploitation of their rights without consent.
They emphasized that they would not be swayed by attempts to create division with other colleagues. They noted that management’s weak legal position leads it to provoke side conflicts to distract from the primary goal: implementing the law and securing the minimum wage. At times, management blamed the Journalists’ Syndicate for fueling the crisis and at other times claimed colleagues opposed the sit-in, both of which the journalists refuted.
The sit-in participants pointed to management’s illegal practices—such as withholding salaries and cutting off internet access—as proof of fears among colleagues who avoided participating. They also condemned reporting against colleagues who staged a protest on the journalists’ syndicate steps, labeling it a violation of the journalists’ code of conduct. Administrative delays in submitting required documents to the Ministry of Labor were cited as further complicating the resolution of the crisis.
The statement asserted that colleagues are entitled to donate their full material rights to Abdel Rahim Ali’s family if they choose, or to accept claims that management spent their personal wealth on the newspaper.
Regarding a separate unsigned statement that demanded the Journalists’ Syndicate and the Supreme Council for Media Regulation suppress voices demanding the minimum wage, the sit-in participants called it a misrepresentation of the syndicate’s role and a professional lapse, asserting that demanding silence and withholding state-mandated rights is unacceptable.
On claims of impersonating the state and unauthorized demonstrations submitted by management and the editor-in-chief, the statement described them as legally ignorant, noting that the right to report protests lies exclusively with the Ministry of Interior.
The journalists stressed they would not turn the crisis into a personal conflict with colleagues forced to participate in statements that undermine journalists’ rights. They concluded that they remain united, not adversarial, and the sit-in would continue. They affirmed that claiming one’s rights is not a crime but an honorable act in times of silence, and that Cairo’s Fifth District and Decision No. 259 would remain their reference, trusting that God is the best guardian.