Egypt escalates crackdown on media ahead of election

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.
The publication of the numbers listed in a statement issued late on Monday by the office of Egypt's chief prosecutor is a step up in the government's crackdown on the media less than two weeks before the presidential election in which the incumbent, President Abdel-Fattah el-Sissi, is running virtually unopposed.
Last week, chief prosecutor Nabil Sadeq told his staff to monitor the media and move against any they consider to be "hurting national interests." The statement listed eight mobile phone numbers for different parts of Egypt, advising citizens to send complaints on WhatsApp or as text messages.