33 people arrested in Egypt following calls for protests

Cairo [Egypt], July 14: Thirty-three people have been detained in Egypt following online calls for protests against President Abdel-Fattah al-Sissi, human rights activists have said.
The Egyptian Initiative for Personal Rights (EIPR) announced that they are accused of belonging to a terrorist group and spreading false news at home and abroad. The detainees have been remanded in custody for an initial period of 15 days.
Security sources have confirmed the arrests over the past few days.
There was initially no official confirmation
Freedom of expression and assembly is severely restricted in Egypt and protests are effectively banned. In recent days, however, there have been calls on social media for demonstrations on a so-called "Friday of Dignity" on July 12.
A digital flyer purportedly showed protesters in the centre of Cairo with Egyptian flags, surrounded by security forces.
Human rights activists repeatedly complain that the government is taking extremely harsh action against critics.
According to the US organization Freedom House, there is practically no serious political opposition left because dissenters can be prosecuted and imprisoned for their statements. The Egyptian authorities reject the accusations.
In 2013, al-Sissi, then the army chief, led the military's overthrow of democratically elected-but-divisive Islamist president Mohammed Morsi.
The ex-army general has ruled the North African country in an authoritarian style. According to critics, there have been no free elections at all since then
According to human rights activists, tens of thousands have been imprisoned for political reasons.
The Egyptian government has promised improvements, for example as part of a human rights strategy. In recent months, dozens of detained dissidents have been released.
Source: Qatar Tribune