It was said in jest but a professor of politics at Egypt's Nile University warned journalists and anyone taking pictures not to do so after an escalating crackdown on the media.
"Dear tourists please come visit #Egypt. Just avoid taking pictures of anything so we don't arrest u. We hope you have a photographic memory," tweeted Timothy E. Kaldas.
Screen shot of Kaldas' tweet warning tourists with cameras
Kaldas and others commented Monday on authorities' arrest and release a few hours later of Ahmed Khair El Din, an Egyptian journalist and presenter with OnTV who was shooting an old mansion in a Cairo neighborhood once populated by Lebanese and Syrians.
Screen shot of Khair El Din tweeting his arrest
Asked if Kaldas was serious, economist/journalist/blogger Mohamed El Dahshan said it was a joke but that police was arresting anyone who remotely resembled a journalist or photographer.
Screen shot of El Dahshan's comment
Basil Al Dabh, a reporter for The Daily News Egypt, in a swipe at authorities asked who had taken more pictures in 2013, tourists or the Ministry of Interior's Facebook page administrator.
Screen shot of Basil Al Dabh's tweet about tourists and Interior Ministry
Critics of the military-backed interim government that replaced Muslim Brotherhood (MB) president Mohamad Morsi a year after coming to power fear the noose is tightening on all media that don't toe the official line, regardless of their political leanings.
On Sunday four journalists working for the Qatar-based Aljazeera network's English channel were arrested on charges of supporting the Brotherhood that was outlawed December 25 following clashes between their supporters and government forces.
Egypt has declared the Brotherhood a terrorist organization.
According to The Guardian, police detained three of Aljazeera's journalists at their office and a fourth at his home for "spreading false news" and holding meetings with MB members.
The network issued a statement urging the immediate and unconditional release of its journalists, which it termed arbitrary.
"Award-winning Nairobi-based correspondent Peter Greste, Aljazeera English bureau chief Mohamed Fahmy, Cairo-based producer Baher Mohamed and cameraman Mohamed Fawzy have been held in custody since their arrest by security forces on Sunday evening," it said.
It added that the arrests followed a period of sustained intimidation towards Aljazeera staff, property and coverage since the "military-orchestrated" removal of Morsi on July 3.
Aljazeera has had countless run-ins with Egyptian authorities since the days of ousted president Hosni Mubarak.
The network is seen as supportive of Mohamad Morsi and its news and programs have been tagged as skewed towards the Muslim Brotherhood.
At various times Aljazeera's offices have been shut down, torched and its journalists and staffers arrested or harassed.
Critics of the current government and military who do not support the Brotherhood have also called for more media freedom.
Paris-based Reporters Without Borders' 2013 World Press Freedom Index ranked Egypt 158 out of 179 countries, up eight points from 2011 when Mubarak was forced from power following a 30-year rule.
RWB's 2013 World Press Freedom Index (RSF)
The best scoring country was Finland, and the lowest was Eritrea at 179.
According to the Vienna-based International Press Institute's (IPI) World Press Freedom Review 2012-2013, journalists in Egypt faced daunting threats, notably following Morsi's ouster.
IPI's World Press Freedom Review 2012-2013 (IPI)
"IPI expressed concern that journalists had become scapegoats for both sides in Egypt's unrest. The Egyptian authorities also deliberately targeted foreign journalists and international media, ransacking offices of international news organizations," it said.
U.S. officials have also expressed concern about the crackdown on media, civil liberties and the Muslim Brotherhood, which Egyptian Defense Minister Abdel Fattah El Sisi has rejected as interference in his country's internal affairs.
Meanwhile, Egypt's public prosecutor was set to charge current Information Minister Doreya Sharaf El Din with wasting $2 million to broadcast a soccer match on state-run TV in violation of an exclusivity agreement with Aljazeera's sports channel.
Sharaf El Din is a holdover from the Mubarak era who reportedly justified the crackdown on MB supporters, the Middle East Monitor said.
Our 2024 Coverage Needs You
It's Another Trump-Biden Showdown — And We Need Your Help
The Future Of Democracy Is At Stake
Our 2024 Coverage Needs You
Your Loyalty Means The World To Us
As Americans head to the polls in 2024, the very future of our country is at stake. At HuffPost, we believe that a free press is critical to creating well-informed voters. That's why our journalism is free for everyone, even though other newsrooms retreat behind expensive paywalls.
Our journalists will continue to cover the twists and turns during this historic presidential election. With your help, we'll bring you hard-hitting investigations, well-researched analysis and timely takes you can't find elsewhere. Reporting in this current political climate is a responsibility we do not take lightly, and we thank you for your support.
Contribute as little as $2 to keep our news free for all.
Can't afford to donate? Support HuffPost by creating a free account and log in while you read.
The 2024 election is heating up, and women's rights, health care, voting rights, and the very future of democracy are all at stake. Donald Trump will face Joe Biden in the most consequential vote of our time. And HuffPost will be there, covering every twist and turn. America's future hangs in the balance. Would you consider contributing to support our journalism and keep it free for all during this critical season?
HuffPost believes news should be accessible to everyone, regardless of their ability to pay for it. We rely on readers like you to help fund our work. Any contribution you can make — even as little as $2 — goes directly toward supporting the impactful journalism that we will continue to produce this year. Thank you for being part of our story.
Can't afford to donate? Support HuffPost by creating a free account and log in while you read.
It's official: Donald Trump will face Joe Biden this fall in the presidential election. As we face the most consequential presidential election of our time, HuffPost is committed to bringing you up-to-date, accurate news about the 2024 race. While other outlets have retreated behind paywalls, you can trust our news will stay free.
But we can't do it without your help. Reader funding is one of the key ways we support our newsroom. Would you consider making a donation to help fund our news during this critical time? Your contributions are vital to supporting a free press.
Contribute as little as $2 to keep our journalism free and accessible to all.
Can't afford to donate? Support HuffPost by creating a free account and log in while you read.
As Americans head to the polls in 2024, the very future of our country is at stake. At HuffPost, we believe that a free press is critical to creating well-informed voters. That's why our journalism is free for everyone, even though other newsrooms retreat behind expensive paywalls.
Our journalists will continue to cover the twists and turns during this historic presidential election. With your help, we'll bring you hard-hitting investigations, well-researched analysis and timely takes you can't find elsewhere. Reporting in this current political climate is a responsibility we do not take lightly, and we thank you for your support.
Contribute as little as $2 to keep our news free for all.
Can't afford to donate? Support HuffPost by creating a free account and log in while you read.
Dear HuffPost Reader
Thank you for your past contribution to HuffPost. We are sincerely grateful for readers like you who help us ensure that we can keep our journalism free for everyone.
The stakes are high this year, and our 2024 coverage could use continued support. Would you consider becoming a regular HuffPost contributor?
Dear HuffPost Reader
Thank you for your past contribution to HuffPost. We are sincerely grateful for readers like you who help us ensure that we can keep our journalism free for everyone.
The stakes are high this year, and our 2024 coverage could use continued support. If circumstances have changed since you last contributed, we hope you'll consider contributing to HuffPost once more.
Support HuffPostAlready contributed? Log in to hide these messages.