Egyptian blogger held for ‘spreading false information’

CAIRO: An Egyptian blogger known for his YouTube and Facebook videos has been held on charges including ‘spreading false information’, his family and lawyer said Tuesday.

“Shadi Abuzeid has been detained for 15 days under the following charges: having joined the ranks of a banned group and spreading false information,” his sister Roula wrote on Facebook.

The blogger’s lawyer, Azza Sleiman, confirmed the details to AFP.

Since his arrest at home on Sunday morning Abuzeid has been detained by the state security prosecution in Cairo, according to his family and lawyer.

Videos published on his ‘Rich content’ YouTube channel and his Facebook page have been viewed tens of thousands of times.

In 2016 Abuzeid filmed a stunt in which he offered balloons made from condoms to police officers in Cairo’s Tahrir Square, the focal point of protests ahead of the ousting of former dictator Hosni Mubarak.

The video was filmed around the country’s police day, which marks the anniversary of Egypt’s 2011 revolution.

Abuzeid has also been part of the satirical programme Abla Fahita, which was recently suspended by the authorities.

His detention follows the arrest last week of Sherif Gaber, a blogger who was detained in 2013 and accused of promoting atheism.

Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi has been accused of crushing dissent through the arrest of political and human rights activists.