As the world celebrates Press Freedom Day, the arbitrary arrest and torture of Egyptian journalist Esraa Abdel Fattah has been slammed by the International Press Institute (IPI).
IPI, a global network of editors, media executives and leading journalists for press freedom, reported that Fattah was detained in Giza, on October 12.
She was arrested by plainclothes security forces who blindfolded her they took her to an unidentified location and was beaten for four hours, said Mina Thabet, head of the policy unit at the Egyptian Commission for Rights and Freedoms (ECRF).
The human rights activist and blogger was allegedly tied to a metal pole in a cell and threatened by the security forces, her lawyer said.
Egyptian journalist Esraa Abdel Fattah was beaten for four hours by security forces before being sentenced to 15 days in jail. Video: Zodidi Dano/ African News Agency
According to the Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ), Fattah had been writing about human rights and opposition groups for Tahrir News, a website which has been blocked inside Egypt.
On October 14, Abdel Fattah was sentenced to 15 days in prison for “spreading false news and participating in a banned group, sparking further condemnation”.
She has begun a hunger strike against over her alleged torture.