Liliane Daoud Arrested and Deported After Having Her Home Raided

While the rest of us were in traffic or preparing meals, Liliane Daoud's family witnessed her arrest. According to Daily News Egypt, Egyptian government authorities arrived at the home of the popular British-Lebanese reporter at 6 PM last night to arrest her. According to a Facebook post by her attorney, Zyad Elelaimy, “Daoud was arrested after eight men, who claimed to be from the Egyptian Passport Control Authority, raided her house and forced her to leave with them, in order to deport her from Egypt...They prevented her from making any calls and confiscated her mobile phone."

The New York Times reports that her 10-year-old daughter and ex-husband – who is an Egyptian national – were in the home at the time of the arrest. According to the Telegraph, he posted on Facebook and told members of the press that although his ex-wife had permanent residency, she was not allowed to pack anything and was only allowed to take her wallet.

By 11 PM Cairo time, Elelaimy posted on Twitter that she called him from the airport while she was waiting to board a plane to Beirut.

ليليان داوود إتصلت دلوقتي، وهي ع الطيارة المتوجهة للبنان

— zyad elelaimy (@zyadel3laimy) June 27, 2016

A few hours later, he posted photos of Daoud being escorted to her plane at Cairo International Airport.

الجدعة وصلت بيروت، وهترجع بلدها المختارة قريب تحتفل معانا بنصر نستحقه#الجنسية_مابتثبتهاش_أوراق#ليليان_داوود_مصرية pic.twitter.com/of05HwNymA

— zyad elelaimy (@zyadel3laimy) June 27, 2016

What is odd about this entire situation is that there was never a warrant issued for her arrest, as was told to reporter Alwaleed Ismail by the General Prosecution.

مصدر مسؤول بالنيابة العامة : ليس لدينا شيئ تجاه المذيعة ليليان داوود ولم نصدر قرارا بضبطها. .

— الوليد اسماعيل (@alwaleedismail) June 27, 2016

Although there appear to be conflicting reports, as Al Ahram reported that unnamed sources told them Daoud would soon be leaving for Beirut because she has ended her contract with ONTV, where she had worked since her arrival in Egypt in June 2011. Fellow ONTV journalist Gaber El-Qarmoty, who hosted the programme Manchette, also announced on Monday that his contract with ONTV would shortly end. 

The decisions of these staff members were not a surprise to many fellow journalists. Several told Al Ahram and numerous news agencies that they expected her to resign and to leave the TV channel since May, when steel tycoon Ahmed Abu-Hashima – who Mada Masr claims to be a pro-government media mogul – acquired the pro-revolution channel from Naguib Sawiris.

Liliane Daoud's Twitter account is currently suspended, but her name continues to be a trending hashtag in Arabic.