This is despicable. The whole citizen arrests and spy business is back to State Security days. #FreeRena
— Wael Eskandar (@weskandar) April 9, 2013
Instead of citizen arrests in Cairo of journalists, maybe somebody should detain Pres Morsi for incompetence? #FreeRena
— Nicholas Kristof (@NickKristof) April 9, 2013
Dutch journalist Rena Netjes is reportedly free after her arrest in Egypt on Monday. The #FreeRena hashtag took off on Tuesday after the Twitterverse learned she had been detained “under allegations of espionage.”
Netjes was working on a story involving youth unemployment and according to a phone interview with the Dutch news outlet Een Vandaag she was apprehended by the owner of a coffee shop who had asked to see her press card and passport before taking it to the police.
After the citizen’s arrest, Netjes was reportedly charged with not carrying her press ID. Daily News Egypt reports, “According to Netjes, the police did not want her writing stories which revolve around negative events in the country.”
.@renanetjes said she was shopping, stopped to interview kids, coffee shop owner & his mates citizen arrested her. http://t.co/pEb4D0h6cH
— Evan Hill (@evanchill) April 9, 2013
Rena Netjes told colleague on phone the report filed against her says she was "attempting to spread Western culture" http://t.co/y4OBqyRTGo
— Erin Cunningham (@erinmcunningham) April 9, 2013
Netjes was released on Tuesday.
Good news, @RenaNetjes released now frm New Cairo Prosecutiob via lawyer Fady Wagdy. She was charged wth not having evidence that she cont
— Ragia Omran (@rago_legal) April 9, 2013
2. That she did not have evidence to prove she is licensed to work as a journalist in Egypt. She had forgotten her Press ID at home.
— Ragia Omran (@rago_legal) April 9, 2013
After talk w pg Talaat Abdallah he agreed to release Rena Netjes. But she will have to update her Egyptian press card. I just picked her up.
— NL Ambassador Egypt (@Gerard_Steeghs) April 9, 2013
Just spoke to @RenaNetjes she has left New Cairo Court and the Dutch Ambassador has come to take her home.
— Ragia Omran (@rago_legal) April 9, 2013
How do you like that Arab Spring now, Nick Kristof?
@NickKristof #FreeRena you are feeling the bite of this arab spring you guys were so delighted about? Blame yourselves – it was predictable
— Twe toto (@twetoto) April 9, 2013
Chirp. Chirp. Chirp.
Update:
Rena Netjes confirmed on Twitter that she is no longer in custody.
Free free free 🙂 a big hugg to all of you for your noise and support, it worked! And a special thanks to a great ambassador: @NLAmbCairo !
— Rena Netjes (@RenaNetjes) April 9, 2013
