Police forces arrested nine members of an underground rap group called “Art Revolution” on Tuesday in Downtown Cairo.
The group organised a rap session on Tuesday night in Abdul Moneim Riad Square where the police arrested 24 and started investigations with nine the following day.
According to the police report, the nine members are charged with chanting hostile phrases against the military and the police, and organising a rally without prior notice, prohibited by the controversial Protest Law.
Aly Atef, the defendants’ lawyer, said: “The arrested are all under the age of 21 except one person, and none of them have any kind of political affiliations.”
He also asserted that the group did not organise a protest, with the event including dancing and reciting rap songs.
The case is pending investigations by the prosecution’s office.
“There are no suspicions in the report against them belonging to any ‘terrorist group’,” Atef added.
A statement released on the Arabic Network for Human Rights Information (ANHRI) announced a list of the singers’ names.
Atef said that they will continue monitoring the case, adding that the singers will either be released or ordered to four days of detention.
