Chief prosecutor cracks down on media

Egyptian authorities have published a list of telephone numbers for citizens to use to bring attention to any media reports they perceive as undermining the country's security or hurting public interest. A report on the News24 site notes that the publication of the numbers – listed in a statement issued by chief prosecutor Nabil Sadeq – is a step up in the government's crackdown on the media days before the presidential election in which President Abdel-Fattah al-Sisi is running virtually unopposed. A fortnight ago, Sadeq told his staff to monitor the media and move against any they consider to be ‘hurting national interests’.