Egyptian judicial authorities have ordered the detention of Oum Zubeida, who claimed in a BBC report that her daughter had been arrested and tortured by security agencies.
After the BBC documentary aired however, the daughter swiftly appeared on TV, saying she was married and had a child. She also claimed to be out of touch with her mother - the “heroine" of the report - for unexplained personal reasons.
But Public Prosecutor Nabil Sadeq ordered the detention of Mona Mahmoud Mohammed, known as Oum Zubeida, for 15 days pending investigations into her statements made in the BBC report.
Mohammed is facing an array of charges, including spreading false news with the intent to harm the national interest, as well as belonging to the banned Muslim Brotherhood.
The BBC report has angered Egyptian authorities, prompting Sadeq to instruct his staff to closely monitor the media and take legal action against those who publish “false” news that damage the national interest.
Prosecutors should take legal action against media outlets that disseminate "false, news, statements or rumors" that could instill "terror" in society, hurt the public interest or disrupt peace. Media regulatory bodies must notify prosecutors of violations by media outlets, he said in a brief statement.
The State Information Service, which accredits foreign media representatives and monitors their coverage, also said the BBC should publish a statement to say the report contained inaccuracies.
