Govt of President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi accused of cracking down on lawyers and human rights defenders

More than 2300 people were arrested following a series of anti-government protests in September. The government led by Egyptian President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi is cracking down on those who would defend them.

As many as 16 lawyers have been arrested so far since demonstration began, including four who were taken while representing their clients in court. Amnesty International has decried the vast scale and arbitrary nature of the arrests.

Mohamed Metwaly was taken while in court. Khairy al-Sayed Khairy was taken from his home. Nowhere is safe, said Khaled.

For Khaled, the fear is genuine. In February, as he left court after attending a hearing with his client he was encircled by plain-clothed police officers as he left the court. He said he was threatened, beaten and tortured.

Before being released Khaled spent six months in the second Zagazig Police Station. Case against him continues. Charged with belonging to a banned group,funding a banned group, possession of pamphlets and dissemination of false information, says Khaled.

The other prominent lawyers have been arrested in the last wave of arrests are award-winning human rights lawyer Mahienour el-Massry and Amr Imam, from the Arabic Network for Human Rights Information (ANHRI), a non-governmental organisation.