Egyptian security forces have arrested nearly 70 people in connection with calls for protests to coincide with the COP27 climate summit, a rights group said.
The arrests come after some social media users, including an exiled former construction contractor and actor, Mohamed Ali, made renewed calls for anti-government protests in Egypt on Nov. 11.
Witnesses say there has also been an increase in spot controls in which plain clothes security officers check pedestrians' mobile phones and social media accounts. Rajagopal told Reuters he was questioned for several hours about what he was doing in Egypt and why he was carrying a poster showing a description and the route of his march.
Public protests are effectively banned in Egypt, following a crackdown on political dissent that began with the overthrow of Muslim Brotherhood leader Mohamed Mursi in 2013 by then-army chief Abdel Fattah al-Sisi.
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