Detention of Sayed Saber and Nourhan Daraz Renewed for 45 Days on Charges of “Misuse of Social Media”
On Tuesday, April 22, 2025, the Supreme State Security Prosecution ordered the renewal of the pretrial detention of journalist Sayed Saber Said Salem in Case No. 6499 of 2024, and Nourhan El-Sayed Ahmed Daraz, a retired department head at the Directorate of Social Affairs, in Case No. 3528 of 2024, for an additional 45 days, pending further investigation. The charges brought against them include misuse of social media platforms, dissemination of false news, and membership in a terrorist organization.
Sayedd Saber—renowned for his satirical writing and sharp commentary—was arrested by security forces from his home on the evening of November 27, 2024, and held incommunicado in an undisclosed location before being brought before the prosecution for interrogation regarding a Facebook post.
He was charged with joining a terrorist organization, spreading false information, and misusing social media. On March 2, 2025, his detention was renewed for the seventh time, despite his deteriorating health condition. Saber has undergone two heart surgeries and suffers from chronic illnesses that require continuous medical attention.
Saber holds dual bachelor’s degrees—one in Social Sciences and another in Journalism and Mass Communication from Cairo University. He has contributed to numerous Egyptian and Arab media outlets and is the author of several short story collections, including Ghalia, Boo Boo, The Pasta Farm, and Soti and the General, in addition to a compilation of satirical essays titled Without Any Nonsense.
Since his arrest, his family has endured a prolonged period of distress, holding out hope for his release at each court hearing. Nevertheless, holidays and special occasions continue to pass in his absence.
In a related case, Nourhan Daraz, 54, was arrested from her residence in the Hadayek Al-Ahram district of Giza on the evening of August 5, 2024. She was forcibly disappeared for 12 days before appearing before the Supreme State Security Prosecution in New Cairo on August 17, 2024.
Daraz was questioned over a Facebook post in which she expressed criticism of Egypt’s economic and political conditions. She was subsequently ordered into 15-day pretrial detention on charges including membership in a banned group, receiving foreign funding, spreading false news, and misuse of social media platforms. She was later transferred to Al-Shorouk Women’s Prison in 10th of Ramadan City.
Daraz has reported being denied access to medication and basic necessities, including blankets, despite her critical health condition, which necessitates specialized care. She suffers from a uterine tumor requiring surgical removal, has undergone a thyroidectomy, and depends on thyroid hormone replacement therapy, in addition to suffering from other chronic medical conditions requiring ongoing monitoring.
Her family has submitted urgent appeals to the competent authorities, calling for her immediate release on humanitarian and legal grounds, stressing the absence of lawful justification for the continued deprivation of her liberty and her urgent need for medical care.
