Egypt: Al-Sisi’s former campaign aid detained

The interior ministry arrested over the week former campaign aid of current President AbdelFattah al-Sisi over claims that critic-turned ally published false news and was colliding with an illegal organization.

Hazim Abdelazim was arrested on Saturday after police surrounded his residence in Cairo. Abdelazim will remain in prison for 15 days pending investigation following a decision by the country’s security prosecutor.

Abdelazim was involved in the al-Sisi’s election in 2014 after the general turned president ousted the country’s first democratically elected President Mohamed Morsi in 2013. The now-turned critic led Sisi’s youth committee.

Abdelazim later regretted the experience noting that it was his “biggest sin”

The opposition figure, prior to his collaboration with al-Sisi, worked under ousted Morsi as deputy telecoms minister.

The arrest comes amid a clampdown on activists few weeks after the North African country faced protests against increase in metro fares.

Last week, prominent blogger and journalist Wael Abbas was arrested following state accusation of involvement with an illegal organization and publishing false news.

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