The Egyptian Commission for Rights and Freedoms has launched its special bulletin on violations against the press, media, and media professionals, as well as restrictions on media outlets. In this bulletin, the Commission monitors the most prominent violations that occurred in the journalistic and media sector throughout November 2025, and the restrictions faced by professionals in the field.
Press and media freedom is one form of freedom of expression, and freedom of expression is the foundation upon which press and media freedom is built. The reality in Egypt indicates that media conditions continue to deteriorate, with increasing restrictions on journalists, violations of press freedoms, and strict control over all forms of expression through the media.
Egypt ranks 170th in the 2025 Press Freedom Index issued by Reporters Without Borders, which evaluates press freedom in 180 countries and regions 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 event and crisis coverage.
In 2024, Egypt had the sixth-highest number of imprisoned journalists worldwide, according to the Committee to Protect Journalists.
The following are the most prominent violations of press and media freedoms monitored by the Egyptian Commission during November 2025:
Decisions to Extend Detention:
On November 2, 2025, the Supreme State Security Prosecution renewed the detention of investigative researcher and journalist Ismail Al-Iskandrani for 15 days pending investigations in Case No. 6469 of 2025, Supreme State Security.
On September 24, 2025, investigative researcher and journalist Ismail Al-Iskandrani was stopped in a security checkpoint near Marsa Matrouh. The Supreme State Security Prosecution then ordered his detention for fifteen days pending investigations in Case No. 6469 of 2025, Supreme State Security. The prosecution’s decision followed many hours of interrogation, amid accusations of “spreading false news, joining a terrorist group, and using a website that promotes ideas advocating terrorist acts.”
It is worth noting that Ismail Al-Iskandrani was released from prison in December 2022 after serving seven years behind bars. His case began in November 2015, when he was arrested at Hurghada Airport upon returning from a conference held in Berlin, Germany.
At the time, the Supreme State Security Prosecution charged him with belonging to a terrorist group and spreading false news. Although a criminal court issued a release order after one year of pretrial detention, the prosecution appealed the decision, extending his detention. In December 2017, his case was referred to the military judiciary, which sentenced him to ten years in May 2018. The sentence was later reduced to seven years in October 2022, and he was released two months after the reduction.
On November 4, 2025, the First Terrorism Chamber of the Cairo Criminal Court, convened at the Badr Prison and Rehabilitation Center, renewed the detention of journalist Yasser Abu Al-Ala for 45 days pending investigations in Case No. 1568 of 2024, Supreme State Security, in which he faces charges of joining a terrorist group, spreading false news and statements, and committing a financial crime.
On November 4, 2025, the same chamber also renewed the detention of journalist Ramadan Gouida Shehata El-Sayed Wahdan for 45 days pending investigations in Case No. 1568 of 2024, Supreme State Security. Ramadan Gouida Shehata, a journalist at Al-Youm News website, was arrested on May 1, 2024, in Ashmoon, Menoufia Governorate, and remained missing for 40 days before appearing on June 10, 2024, before the Supreme State Security Prosecution at El-Tajammu, which ordered his detention pending investigations in the same case, in Wadi El-Natron Prison, on charges of “joining a terrorist group and spreading false news.”
On November 4, 2025, the Second Terrorism Chamber of the Cairo Criminal Court, convened at the Badr Prison and Rehabilitation Center, renewed the detention of Egyptian translator and cartoonist Ashraf Omar for 45 days pending investigations in Case No. 1968 of 2024, Supreme State Security Investigations, on charges of joining a terrorist group, spreading false news and statements, and committing a financial crime. Ashraf Omar had been arrested at his home on July 22 of the previous year, taken to an unknown location, and held illegally for two days before being presented to the Supreme State Security Prosecution, interrogated, and formally charged.
On November 10, 2025, the First Terrorism Chamber of the Cairo Criminal Court, convened at the Cairo Court of Appeals, Badr Prison and Rehabilitation Center, renewed the detention of journalist and writer Mohamed Saad Khattab Heggy for 45 days pending investigations in Case No. 2063 of 2023, in which he is accused of spreading false news and misusing social media (Twitter). He had been arrested at his office in Nasr City on August 19, 2023, spending an entire night at the National Security headquarters in Abbasiya, where he was subjected to psychological and physical torture, being left handcuffed and unclothed, before being presented to the Supreme State Security Prosecution the following day for interrogation.
Khattab suffers from coronary artery disease, requiring four stents, and has high blood pressure and diabetes. He has also undergone previous surgeries on his neck and back, has plates and screws in one foot, and requires regular medical follow-up and daily treatment.
On November 10, 2025, the Supreme State Security Prosecution in New Cairo renewed the detention of journalist Safaa El-Kourbeigy for 15 days pending investigations in Case No. 7256 of 2025, Supreme State Security. She faces charges of joining a terrorist group, spreading false news, committing a financial crime related to terrorism, and using an internet account to commit a crime.
Security forces had arrested El-Kourbeigy from her home early on October 6, 2025, taking her to a security facility before presenting her to the Supreme State Security Prosecution the same evening, which ordered her pretrial detention pending investigations.
On November 16, 2024, the Supreme State Security Prosecution renewed the detention of investigative researcher and journalist Ismail Al-Iskandrani for 15 days pending investigations in Case No. 6469 of 2025, according to human rights lawyer Nabih Al-Ganadi on Facebook.
Security forces arrested Al-Iskandrani in the early hours of September 24, after stopping him at a checkpoint near Marsa Matrouh while returning from Siwa. He was then transferred to Cairo and presented to the Supreme State Security Prosecution the same day, where he was interrogated for several hours before a detention order was issued.
According to members of Al-Iskandrani’s defense team, his arrest was based on a warrant, and he was included in Case No. 6469 of 2025, with charges of “spreading false news,” “joining a terrorist group,” and “using a website to promote terrorist ideas.”
Human rights organizations, in a joint statement, reported that the prosecution confronted him with 18 posts on his personal account, which Al-Iskandrani admitted writing. He stated that the posts contained his opinions and did not carry false news or rumors, and affirmed that he does not belong to any political party, organization, or group.
The organizations added that Al-Iskandrani’s arrest and detention came just two days after a recent amnesty, which some considered a sign of easing tensions and the beginning of resolving the political imprisonment crisis. However, his detention reproduces the same repressive policies and sends a negative message that the public sphere remains closed, and any voice or opinion is subject to targeting.
The organizations emphasized that Al-Iskandrani has already served seven full years in prison due to his research and journalistic work, and that his release at the end of 2022 should have marked the end of his suffering, not a new cycle of detention and mistreatment. They also highlighted that his deteriorating health, as reported by his lawyer, and reliance on a respirator, makes continued detention a direct threat to his life, especially as he has been deprived of the necessary mask to operate the device.
The statement continued that the ongoing arbitrary pretrial detention policy against journalists, researchers, and political opponents is not only a serious violation of individual rights and freedoms but also destroys confidence in any reform steps toward ending years of imprisonment for opinion and closing the pretrial detention file in freedom-of-expression cases. It fosters an environment of fear and self-censorship and sends a clear message that expressing an opinion, even balanced and objective, could lead to imprisonment.
The organizations warned that insistence on prosecuting those who express opinions will not silence independent voices but deepens the political and human rights crisis, rendering any talk of political openness or dialogue meaningless. The absence of freedoms does not produce stability; it accumulates resentment and keeps society in a closed circle of repression and political detention, instead of creating an environment conducive to real reform and effective steps to end political imprisonment.
The organizations called for the immediate and unconditional release of Ismail Al-Iskandrani, the dropping of all charges against him, ensuring urgent medical care, the immediate return of his respirator until his release, an end to using pretrial detention as a punishment against journalists, researchers, and political activists, and the adoption of serious and transparent measures to open the public sphere and protect individuals’ right to express their opinions without fear of detention, repression, or mistreatment.
On November 24, 2025, the Supreme State Security Prosecution in New Cairo renewed the detention of journalist Safaa El-Kourbeigy for 15 days pending investigations in Case No. 7256 of 2025, Supreme State Security. She faces charges of joining a terrorist group, spreading false news, committing a financial crime related to terrorism, and using an internet account to commit a crime.
Security forces had arrested El-Kourbeigy from her home early on October 6, 2025, taking her to a security facility before presenting her to the Supreme State Security Prosecution the same evening, which ordered her pretrial detention pending investigations.
Referral to Criminal Trial:
On November 20, 2025, the Supreme State Security Prosecution referred journalist Khaled Mamdouh to criminal trial over charges in a “spreading false news” case. He had been arrested at his home in Mokattam on the early morning of July 16, 2024, and forcibly disappeared for about a week before appearing before the Supreme State Security Prosecution. He was charged with three offenses: “joining a terrorist group knowing its objectives,” “financing a terrorist group,” and “spreading and broadcasting false news and statements likely to harm public security and order,” under Case No. 1282 of 2024, Supreme State Security.
On November 22, 2025, the competent authorities referred cartoonist Ashraf Omar to criminal trial over accusations of spreading false news. Security forces had arrested Omar and Mohamed Allam, known as Rivaldo, on charges of spreading false news and misusing social media.
Human rights lawyer Khaled Ali confirmed that referring the artist, translator, and music composer Ashraf Omar to trial before the Cairo Criminal Court constitutes a legal overreach and raises concerns about their rights. Omar has been detained for over a year and a half without full clarity on the charges, and any judicial procedures must respect the right to defense and transparency in investigations.
He added in a Facebook post: “A security force arrested him in the early hours of July 22, 2024, over several cartoons he drew and published on Al-Manssa website.”
He explained: “The cartoons contained criticism of public conditions, similar to all cartoons worldwide. Two days after his disappearance, he appeared before the Supreme State Security Prosecution, which investigated him in Case No. 1568 of 2024, Supreme State Security Investigations.”
He continued: “At the time, he was charged with spreading false news, misusing social media, and joining a group established contrary to the law. He has been detained and held in the Tenth of Ramadan Prison, Block 6, since then.”
He further noted: “During a visit by his wife, Dr. Nady Mughith, this morning, he informed her that on November 18, 2025, he was taken from his prison in Tenth of Ramadan to the Supreme State Security Prosecution in New Cairo without prior notice or informing his defense team.”
He clarified: “He was notified of the decision to refer him and others for trial without being allowed to read the referral order or be fully informed of the charges against him.”
He concluded that Omar has been referred to trial before the Supreme State Security Court, and the prosecution charged him with “participating in a terrorist group to achieve its objectives.” He confirmed that once the defense team has access to the full case file, they will release further details.
Decisions of the Supreme Council for Media Regulation:
On November 2, 2025, the Supreme Council for Media Regulation, headed by Engineer Khaled Abdel Aziz, received a complaint from Zamalek Sporting Club against Al Ahly magazine regarding its issue published on October 30.
Zamalek stated in its complaint that the magazine’s content violated the media regulations, standards, and codes issued by the Supreme Council for Media Regulation.
The complaint was referred to the Complaints Committee, chaired by journalist Essam Al-Amir, the council’s deputy, to review it and take the necessary actions in accordance with the council’s governing regulations.
On November 17, 2025, the Supreme Council for Media Regulation announced the formal summoning of officials responsible for managing the social media accounts of three prominent media figures and athletes, as well as the legal representative of TEN TV, following the monitoring of clear violations of the media regulations and codes under Law No. 180 of 2018.
The Complaints Committee, chaired by journalist Essam Al-Amir and including senior media and legal professionals, decided the following:
- To summon the official managing the social media accounts of journalist Basma Wahba on all platforms to investigate posts and videos containing expressions and hints that violate public decency and ethical standards.
- To summon the official managing journalist Yasmin Al-Khatib’s accounts due to repeated posts containing insults and defamation of national symbols and public figures, clearly breaching the media code of honor. This followed monitoring of multiple episodes containing vulgar language, direct slander, incitement to hatred, and extreme professional misconduct.
- To summon the official responsible for the Abu El-Maati Zaki YouTube channel.
- To question the legal representative of TEN TV regarding recent episodes of the program El Primo, presented by Islam Sadeq, featuring Captain Reda Abdel Aal and Captain Mahmoud Abu El-Dahab, which included unprecedented vulgar language, mutual insults, and attacks on athletes and sports institutions, described as a “ring of insults” under the guise of sports analysis.
The Supreme Council emphasized that these measures aim to fulfill its regulatory role in protecting society from media violations, especially following the increase in official and public complaints regarding programs and accounts that have become platforms for abuse and trending at the expense of values and ethics.
On November 24, 2025, the Supreme Council for Media Regulation, chaired by Engineer Khaled Abdel Aziz, approved the recommendations of the Complaints Committee, headed by journalist Essam Al-Amir, to impose the following penalties:
- TEN TV is required to pay a fine of EGP 50,000 due to violations in several episodes of El Primo, presented by Islam Sadeq, which breached the council’s media regulations, standards, and codes.
- Issue a warning to the social media accounts named Najm Al-Gamahir regarding violations in some episodes broadcast via these accounts.
- Oblige all media outlets subject to Law No. 180 of 2018 to prevent the appearance of Captain Reda Abdel Aal and Abu El-Maati Zaki for a period of two months from the date of the decision.
- Notify the Journalists’ Syndicate, headed by journalist Khaled El-Belshi, to take the necessary measures regarding content presented by Abu El-Maati Zaki, in accordance with the law.
Low Wages for Journalists:
On November 8, 2025, journalists at Al-Bawaba newspaper expressed their strong dissatisfaction with the low wages they receive and the continued disregard by management for their legitimate demands, despite many years of daily hard work.
The journalists stated that most employees earn no more than 2,000 EGP per month, even after more than ten years of service, while the cost of living continues to rise. They described this situation as “an insult to the journalism profession” and “a blatant provocation against social justice.”
The statement highlighted that the Al-Bawaba board of directors remains silent in the face of this crisis, treating journalists as “machines working without dignity or rights,” despite being the ones who built the newspaper’s name, content, and audience.
The employees emphasized that they are not asking for charity or handouts, but rather demand that the law be applied and their accumulated rights be paid, stressing that “journalism is run with respect and appreciation, not insult and neglect.”
The statement concluded by holding the newspaper management fully responsible for the deteriorating conditions and warned that continued neglect could push them to take escalatory measures to defend their dignity and right to a decent life.
On November 18, 2025, the Labor Directorate in Giza conducted an inspection campaign at the offices of Al-Bawaba News website and newspaper. This came as part of the Ministry of Labor’s monitoring of compliance with the new Labor Law No. 14 of 2025, following directives from Minister Mohamed Gabrán to intensify oversight of workplaces to ensure adherence to the minimum wage.
The ministry explained that the campaign was in response to reports of employees protesting the non-application of the legally mandated minimum wage. Inspectors reviewed the legal status of the newspaper and verified compliance with labor regulations. The inspection resulted in legal measures against the newspaper, including filing a misdemeanor report, ensuring that employees receive their full rights under the applicable laws. The Ministry of Labor affirmed its continued monitoring of all establishments and taking necessary measures to enforce the law and protect workers’ rights across all sectors.
On November 22, 2025, temporary journalists working at state-owned newspapers filed a collective complaint to Minister of Labor Mohamed Gabrán, requesting ministry intervention to resolve their employment issues under the new labor law. They demanded that the ministry ensure their professional rights, including proper hiring and implementation of the minimum wage, as it did previously in the case of employees at Al-Bawaba News and other institutions.
The temporary journalists explained in a press statement that they have been working for many years without contracts and without the minimum wage, with some employees working up to 15 years while being deprived of social insurance, medical insurance, and other employment rights without justification.
They urged the Ministry of Labor, responsible for monitoring workers’ conditions in all institutions to protect their rights, to intervene and compel government institutions to comply with the law by issuing employment contracts and applying the minimum wage, which represents the basic cost of living, particularly given the low salaries they currently receive from state-owned newspapers.
On November 28, 2025, groups of journalists and employees at Al-Bawaba News submitted an official letter to President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi, appealing for urgent intervention to resolve the wage crisis they have suffered for years. They confirmed that their salaries do not exceed 2,000 EGP despite difficult working conditions and the state’s commitment to enforce the minimum wage.
In their appeal, they stated: “We, the collective journalists working at Al-Bawaba News, submit this letter to Your Excellency based on our firm trust in your constant care for supporting Egyptian citizens and protecting their dignity, and your ongoing emphasis on providing a decent life for all citizens without exception, especially journalists and media professionals who stand on the front lines defending the state and its mission.”
They added: “President, father, and leader, Egyptian journalism has historically been a key partner in protecting national identity, exposing the truth, and safeguarding society against rumors and malicious campaigns. Your Excellency has repeatedly expressed respect for this noble profession and everyone who works in it, recognizing them as part of Egypt’s soft power and a vital tool for raising public awareness and supporting state institutions.”
The journalists noted in their letter that the institution, owned by journalist and former parliamentarian Abdel Rahim Ali, reduced their salaries by 60% since 2020, sometimes lowering them to 1,200 EGP, before restoring them to 2,000 EGP after their protests.
They stated: “After repeated demands to improve conditions and implement the minimum wage established by the state, we faced constant refusal from the newspaper’s board of directors. The matter escalated to threats of liquidating and closing the institution that we built with our own efforts, forcing us to begin an open sit-in starting Monday, November 17, 2025, after exhausting all other options and worsening living conditions, while you continue to direct institutions and authorities to provide a fair and humane work environment that meets basic requirements for a decent life.”
The journalists requested President El-Sisi’s urgent intervention to ensure:
- Immediate implementation of the minimum wage within the institution.
- Protection of employees from any arbitrary measures.
- Provision of a professional and fair work environment consistent with the mission of national journalism.
- Official oversight by competent authorities to ensure the institution’s stability.
They concluded their letter with a message to the president: “More than 250 journalists and employees, your citizens, are unable to meet the needs of their families and children. They ask only for the minimum rights that preserve their dignity and enable them to fulfill their mission. Trust in God, and then in Your Excellency, is what drives them to raise their voice to you in this difficult time.”
Arbitrary Dismissal:
On November 23, 2025, a group of journalists who had been arbitrarily dismissed from Al-Bawaba News over previous years submitted an official memorandum to the Journalists’ Syndicate Council, requesting urgent intervention in light of the ongoing crisis within the institution and the sit-in by colleagues demanding their basic rights.
The journalists stated in their memorandum that the current violations and practices witnessed by employees inside the newspaper are a continuation of what they previously endured. They emphasized that they were dismissed arbitrarily and deprived of their legal entitlements, in a context of complete lack of transparency and “systematic” treatment that led to the loss of their professional and employment rights.
The affected journalists noted that they had submitted numerous complaints and memoranda to the Journalists’ Syndicate over the years, but, according to them, these files suffered from extreme delays and procedural obstruction without reaching clear resolutions, despite repeated appeals.
Given the ongoing developments within Al-Bawaba, the journalists argued that it is now time to reopen their cases and link them to the current investigation, considering that the violations faced by the colleagues currently on sit-in are a continuation of the same policies that led to their dismissal.
The dismissed journalists demanded a comprehensive and rapid investigation into their cases, linking them with files related to current violations within the newspaper. They requested that their previous memoranda and complaints be included in the ongoing investigation to ensure the case is not fragmented. They also stressed the necessity of allowing them to follow the investigation as directly affected parties and obliging the institution to provide the documents related to their entitlements and dismissal incidents, which had previously been withheld, leading to delays in their legal cases.
The memorandum concluded with a call for immediate action by the Syndicate to ensure justice and restore their rights amid the escalating situation within the institution.
Complaints and Legal Cases:
On November 1, 2025, the lawyer of former football player Ahmed Hossam “Mido” filed an appeal against a one-month prison sentence in the case in which he was accused of insulting and defaming international referee Mahmoud El-Banna via social media. The defense requested the suspension of the sentence pending the appeal.
East Cairo Prosecution had referred Mido to the Economic Court after receiving a complaint from referee Mahmoud El-Banna, accusing him of publicly insulting and defaming him in a post on social media following a match officiated by El-Banna between Al-Ahly and Pyramids.
The complaint stated that Mido accused the referee of favoring Al-Ahly during the match and posted a message deemed offensive to his reputation and impartiality, prompting legal action against him.
On November 4, 2025, the Public Prosecution appealed the Cairo Economic Court’s ruling acquitting blogger Mariam Ayman, known as “Suzy Al-Urdunia,” from charges of attacking family values and publishing indecent videos.
Previously, the court had sentenced the blogger “Suzy Al-Urdunia” to one year in prison and fined her 100,000 EGP for committing an indecent act via live streaming.
The prosecution had charged “Suzy Al-Urdunia” with four counts, stating that in August, in the jurisdiction of El-Matariya Police Station, Cairo:
She created, managed, and used two TikTok accounts under the names “Suzy Al-Urdunia” and “Suzy Al-Mustakhbiah (elsoozz)” to commit the crimes addressed in the second and third charges.
She publicly posted visual content and live streams on these accounts containing obscene and indecent language offensive to public decency.
She committed an indecent act in public by performing these actions via live streaming on TikTok, using obscene language recorded and reposted across social media.
She violated family values and principles by publishing visual content and live streams containing obscene and indecent language harmful to public decency.
The blogger’s defense submitted an appeal against the Economic Court’s first-degree ruling, which had sentenced her to one year in prison with hard labor and fined her 100,000 EGP. The Cairo Economic Court of Appeal scheduled the first hearing for December 24, 2025.
On November 4, 225, lawyers Mohamed Abu Bakr and Osama El-Sheshtawy submitted two complaints to Attorney General Mohamed Shawky, accusing singer Rahma Mohsen Ahmed Khaled and businessman Ahmed Farag Ahmed of promoting immorality and violating ethical and religious values, following the circulation of a video violating public decency on social media.
The lawyers noted that recent weeks saw the spread of videos showing the singer Rahma Mohsen with Ahmed Farag performing acts and gestures offensive to public decency, contrary to religious and ethical values, constituting incitement to immorality and corruption of public decency.
They stated that although the singer claimed her ex-husband secretly filmed the clips without her knowledge, visual examination of the videos indicated her full awareness and participation, with no objection, continuing her public performances despite the widespread controversy.
The lawyers affirmed that the actions of the accused constitute legal violations punishable under: Law No. 10 of 1968 on combating prostitution (Articles 1 and 14), Article 178 of the Penal Code, and Article 25 of the Cybercrime Law, which criminalizes publishing content offensive to public decency or family and societal values.
They requested the Attorney General to open an urgent judicial investigation, allow submission of supporting documents, summon the accused for questioning, take necessary legal measures, and suspend the singer from public and nightclub performances pending the investigation to protect societal values and public order.
On November 5, 2025, the Economic Court issued the detailed ruling convicting former footballer Ahmed Hossam Mido of defaming referee Mahmoud El-Banna, sentencing him to one month in prison and a 20,000 EGP fine.
The ruling stated that permissible criticism allows expressing opinions on actions without defaming or diminishing the person, which the defendant exceeded by targeting the referee. Although his statements appeared as criticism, they went beyond constitutionally protected free speech, with no legal justification, harming the referee’s reputation as the official overseeing the match.
The ruling further emphasized that, as a well-known local and international footballer with a wide following, Mido’s posts reached a large audience, amplifying the negative impact and influencing public and sports opinion, harming the victim’s reputation and undermining the integrity of sports justice.
Earlier, the investigation authorities had ordered Mido’s release on a 10,000 EGP bail and referred the complaint to the Economic Court after the referee accused him of posting offensive content on social media.