Travel ban for prominent lawyer

An Egyptian judge has slapped a travel ban on a former presidential candidate and rights lawyer over an ongoing investigation into funding for civil society groups. A report on the News24 site notes that it marks the latest in a series of similar steps targeting rights lawyers critical of the government of President Abdel-Fattah al-Sisi, which has placed draconian restrictions on the work of rights and pro-democracy groups. Khaled Ali unsuccessfully ran in the 2012 election won by Mohammed Morsi. He declared his intention to run in the poll earlier this year, but he quit the race in the face of intimidation and harassment of his supporters.