Ahead of trial, CPJ, partners demand release of detained photojournalist Hamdi al-Zaeem

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The Committee to Protect Journalists joined partner organizations on Saturday in condemning the prolonged pre-trial detention of Egyptian journalist Hamdi al-Zaeem, and calling on Egyptian authorities to immediately release him.

Al-Zaeem was first arrested on September 26, 2016, then released conditionally on June 23, 2018. He was re-arrested in January 2021 and accused of spreading false news, misusing social media, and joining a terrorist organization. His next trial hearing is scheduled for September 27, 2026.

Egypt remains one of the world’s leading jailers of journalists, with 19 currently behind bars.

Read the full letter in English and Arabic.


This content originally appeared on Committee to Protect Journalists and was authored by CPJ Staff.

Citations

[1] Hamdi Mokhtar (Hamdi al-Zaeem) - Committee to Protect Journalists ➤ https://cpj.org/data/people/hamdi-mokhtar-hamdi-al-zaeem/[2] الصحفي حمدي الزعيم.. 5 سنوات خلف القضبان بلا حكم نهائي - نافذة مصر ➤ https://www.egyptwindow.net/article/4907170/%D8%A7%D9%84%D8%B5%D8%AD%D9%81%D9%8A-%D8%AD%D9%85%D8%AF%D9%8A-%D8%A7%D9%84%D8%B2%D8%B9%D9%8A%D9%85..-5-%D8%B3%D9%86%D9%88%D8%A7%D8%AA-%D8%AE%D9%84%D9%81-%D8%A7%D9%84%D9%82%D8%B6%D8%A8%D8%A7%D9%86-%D8%A8%D9%84%D8%A7-%D8%AD%D9%83%D9%85-%D9%86%D9%87%D8%A7%D8%A6%D9%8A[3] Explore CPJ's database of attacks on the press ➤ https://cpj.org/data/imprisoned/currently-imprisoned/?status=Imprisoned&cc_fips%5B%5D=EG&group_by=location&currently-imprisoned=1[4] ➤ https://cpj.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/09/English-version.pdf[5] ➤ https://cpj.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/09/Arabic-version.pdf