Karim ElShaer is a journalist who has been in charge of graphics and social media management at the Al-Horia News website since it was established in June 2023. He produced a number of reports and articles that were published on the website. He previously worked in media marketing, where he owned a company specialized in this field.
On 29 October 2023, a police force arrested ElShaer outside a radiology center in the Ramses area in downtown Cairo. According to his lawyer, he appeared before the State Security Prosecution the next day, in connection with Case No. 2468 of 2023 (Supreme State Security Prosecution), on several charges, including demonstrating and gathering, vandalizing facilities, and assaulting the police.
ElShaer said he was present during the said demonstration to cover it as a journalist. This was confirmed by Al-Horia News website staff, who sent a letter to the Public Prosecution stating that ElShaer had covered the demonstration that was staged in support of Palestine on 20 September. However, he remained in detention.
Staff members from the website told AFTE that ElShaer’s health condition is bad, and he should undergo foot surgery, so he must be released as soon as possible.
Days before his arrest, ElShaer published a post on Facebook which he said was a “complaint to the Public Prosecutor”, in which he revealed that he was beaten by two policemen after he participated in a march from Al-Azhar to Tahrir Square in solidarity with the Palestinian people on Friday, 20 October. He accused the two policemen of stealing his mobile phone and glasses after they tore his clothes.
ElShaer said he was surprised that a security force went at the dawn of the next day to his father’s house and the house of one of his friends in search of him.
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