Indian journalist detained along with scores of pro-Palestine protesters in Egypt

An Indian journalist was among the scores of pro-Palestinian activists detained and deported by Egyptian authorities on Friday, June 13, before a planned solidarity march towards the Gaza Strip to break the Israeli blockade on the region.

Maktoob Media’s journalist, Nikita Jain, was part of Global March to Gaza. She was detained with 1000 individuals, Americans, Australians, Dutch, French, Spaniards, Algerians, and Moroccans. The protestors planned to cross into Rafah via the Egyptian border, breaking the blockade enforced by Israeli authorities on entering Gaza.

The movement started from Tunisia to Libiya and all the way to Egypt.

However, upon arrival at Ismaïlia, the Egyptian authorities seized their passports and detained around 1,000 individuals.

Journalist Nikita Jain had been covering the march’s progress across Northern Africa. She described a tense situation developing where roughly seventy individuals are in Egyptian custody. Authorities are not allowing any photography or videography.

This is the second set of detentions and deportations, the first having occurred on June 10. 

Speaking to reporters, Egyptian officials claimed that authorities had deported more than three dozen activists, the majority holding European passports, on arrival at Cairo International Airport in the last two days. Officials added that the deported activists had planned to travel to Northern Sinai “without obtaining required authorisations”.

Reports suggested that roughly 73 individuals had been deported to Istanbul by authorities, with a hundred more awaiting the same fate.

Spokesperson for the Global March to Gaza, Saif Abukeshek, said that more than 200 activists had been detained in the city. Detainees included American, Australian, Dutch, French, Spaniard, Algerian, and Moroccan citizens. Abukeshek claimed that some had been released and others had been detained.

March organisers claimed to have followed all guidelines and measures prescribed by the Egyptian government. The next step of the march remains uncertain.