Egypt arrests lawyer for wearing ‘yellow vest’

An Egyptian prosecutor in Alexandria has ordered human rights lawyer Mohammed Ramadan to be detained for 15 days for sharing a picture of himself wearing “a yellow vest” in solidarity with French protests on Facebook.

Human rights activist and lawyer Mahinour Al-Masri said on Facebook that Ramadan has been accused of “spreading false news” and “spreading the ideology of a terrorist group”.

Ramadan’s family and friends reported him missing after being unable to contact him. Many held the Egyptian security services and authorities fully responsible for Ramadan’s safety and called on the Bar Association to carry out its duties in protecting and defending one of its members.

Where are the Gilets Jaunes in the Arab world?

Egyptian authorities have quietly clamped down on the sales of reflective yellow vests fearing that they could prompt copycat protests inspired by the Gilets Jaunes demonstrations taking place in France. The measure was taken as a precaution as Egypt approaches the seventh anniversary next month of the revolution that toppled the dictator Hosni Mubarak after a 30-year rule.