After his arrest on November 26, 2024, journalist Sayed Saber was ordered by the Supreme State Security Prosecution to be held for 15 days, pending an investigation.
His arrest is believed to be linked to his social media posts criticizing Egypt’s military rule. Saber is well-known as a contributor to various media outlets and as the author of several books. He has been sharply – and often sarcastically – critical of the current political regime.
On May 1, 2025, the Egyptian Network for Human Rights launched a call for solidarity with Saber, demanding his immediate release following the deterioration of his health and a second heart surgery to widen his arteries at Badr Prison Hospital.
On September 15 , the Cairo criminal court, convening at the Badr judicial complex, renewed Saber’s detention for another 45 days, despite the ongoing deterioration of his health, which, according to his lawyers, poses a threat to his life under his imprisonment conditions.. He faces charges of spreading false news and joining a terrorist organization.
Saber’s detention is part of a broader crackdown on the press. On September 9, 2024, CPJ and 34 other human rights and press freedom organizations issued a joint statement condemning the recent arrests and enforced disappearances of four other Egyptian journalists — Ashraf Omar, Khaled Mamdouh, Ramadan Gouida, and Yasser Abu Al-Ela — and called for their unconditional release.
CPJ’s request for comment from the Public Prosecutor’s Office regarding Saber’s case did not receive an immediate response.