Journalism in Egypt has effectively become a crime over the past four years as authorities clamp down on media outlets and muzzle dissent, Amnesty International has said in a report.

As the number of coronavirus infections in Egypt continues to rise, the government is strengthening its control over information, the London-based rights group said, instead of upholding transparency during the public health crisis.

“The Egyptian authorities have made it very clear that anyone who challenges the official narrative will be severely punished,” said Philip Luther, Amnesty’s Middle East and North Africa director.