Egyptian President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi warned on Thursday that any defamation of the country's security forces would be considered as "high treason."
His warning came as security forces enter the fourth week of a campaign against militants centered in the northern Sinai Peninsula.
It also came one day after Egypt's chief prosecutor Nabil Sadeq said "forces of evil" have recently been trying to "undermine the security and safety of the nation through the broadcast and publication of lies and false news."
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.
His call for measures come amid a controversy over a BBC report on alleged forced disappearances in Egypt.
The State Information Service, which accredits foreign media representatives and monitors their coverage, wants the BBC to publish a statement to say the report contained inaccuracies.
The report included a claim that a woman had been arrested by Egyptian security forces. But the woman appeared on TV to deny she had been jailed, and saying she lives with her husband and that she had delivered a baby two weeks ago.
