The arrest of renowned journalist Amr Badr, editor-in-chief of the privately owned online news portal Yanair Gate, and journalist Mahmoud Al-Saqa, who works for the same platform as a reporter, sparked anger among journalists who have commenced an indefinite strike, demanding the dismissal of Interior Minister Magdy Abdel Ghaffar.
Badr, an Egyptian journalist who is known for his critical stance against the regime, was editor-in-chief of El Tahrir newspaper between 2011 and 2013.
In 2015, he ran in the Press Syndicate’s board elections. According to Yanair Gate, his plan tackled several challenges facing journalists, including low salaries, declining freedoms, and arrests on publishing charges.
Badr had previously participated in political activism outside his journalism work.
Exactly a year ago, he founded the Bedaia political movement. At the time, he told Al-Watan newspaper that the movement consists of people who participated in the two uprisings in 2011 and 2013. However, the movement believes there have been increasing violations and repressions of freedom, similar to the era under former president Hosni Mubarak.
During the Muslim Brotherhood’s reign, Badr co-founded the Tamarod movement along with his relative Mahmoud Badr, who is now a member of parliament. The movement gained wide support in mobilising against the Brotherhood regime on 30 June 2013, and was considered one of the triggers that toppled the regime in July 2013.
Badr also took part in the 2012 presidential campaign of Hamdeen Sabahy.
