Arrest of Leading Activist Part of Emerging Trend in Egypt

Cairo, Egypt – Human Rights First today condemns the detention of democracy activist Ahmed Maher at the Cairo Airport today. Maher is currently under criminal investigation for “inciting protests” against the government of President Mohamed Morsi.  He had been traveling to the United States and was picked up while returning to Egypt.

“This latest arrest is part of an emerging pattern of targeting those who were active in the revolution. There has been an alarming surge in the judicial harassment of leading dissidents and the new Egyptian government is beginning to look increasingly like a close relative of the Mubarak regime,” said Human Rights First’s Brian Dooley, who is currently in Cairo.

Maher was a founder of the April 6 Youth Movement, one of the leaders of the mass protests that succeeded in overthrowing the presidency of Hosni Mubarak in February 2011.

For more information, see Human Rights First’s report, Egypt’s Human Rights Crisis Deepens.