Egypt’s president Abdel Fattah el-Sisi has said the country has become “an oasis of security and stability” under his rule, amid reports of a new clampdown on dissent in the lead-up to the eighth anniversary of the 2011 pro-democracy Arab Spring uprising.

Mr Sisi, who became president in 2014, spoke at the annual ceremony celebrating Police Day, which falls on 25 January, the same date that thousands of Egyptians took to the streets to begin a sweeping revolt that forced longtime dictator Hosni Mubarak to step down in 2011.

Meanwhile, human rights activists have complained that authorities are randomly stopping people in downtown Cairo, the epicentre of the 2011 uprising, for fear that similar demonstrations could erupt.

“The whole world has seen how Egypt has turned into an oasis of security and stability in only a few years,” Mr Sisi told a large audience of government officials, religious leaders and commanders in the country’s security force in the lavish auditorium of Egypt’s police academy in eastern Cairo.

“I will always value and take pride in the fact that you and your fellows in the armed forces are facing a fierce battle against dark terrorism,” he said.

The 20 worst countries for press freedom Show all 20 1 /20 The 20 worst countries for press freedom The 20 worst countries for press freedom 20. Tajikistan Due to government pressure worsened by an economic crisis, most independent news outlets have closed, many journalists have fled the country and those who remain self-censor. Tajikistan has dropped 12 places in the Reporters Without Borders Press Freedom Index since 2018. The 20 worst countries for press freedom 19. Libya Due to the instability of recent years, journalists are at great risk when working in Libya. One journalist has been killed so far this year in the country. Libya remains in the same place as 2018 in the Reporters Without Borders Press Freedom Index. The 20 worst countries for press freedom 18. Egypt President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi has further damaged press freedom in Egypt. The government often bans media outlets and has blocked over 500 websites. There are currently 25 journalists in jail in Egypt making it one of the worst countries for imprisoning journalists in the world. Egypt has dropped two places in the Reporters Without Borders Press Freedom Index since 2018. The 20 worst countries for press freedom 17. Somalia Three journalists were killed in Somalia in 2018 while a further three survived or eluded attempts on their life. Journalists also risk torture or the closure of their media outlets at the hands of the government. Despite this, Somalia has risen four places in the Reporters Without Borders Press Freedom Index since 2018. The 20 worst countries for press freedom 16. Equatorial Guinea The media in Equatorial Guinea is closely controlled by the government. Coverage of the Arab Spring, fighting in Mali and Syria and the fall of Burkina Faso's president was completely banned. Despite this, Equatorial Guinea has risen six places in the Reporters Without Borders Press Freedom Index since 2018. The 20 worst countries for press freedom 15. Azerbaijan Independent journalists are often detained and later jailed if they do not submit to beating, blackmail or bribes. The government also blocks access to independent media websites. Azerbaijan has dropped three places in the Reporters Without Borders Press Freedom Index since 2018. The 20 worst countries for press freedom 14. Bahrain Journalists, particularly photographers, are often jailed, sometimes for life. In detention, journalists have been mistreated and even stripped of their citizenship. It is difficult for foreign journalists to access the country. Bahrain has dropped one place in the Reporters Without Borders Press Freedom Index since 2018. The 20 worst countries for press freedom 13. Yemen The ongoing war in Yemen makes working there risky for journalists. The Houthi rebels are holding at least 16 journalists and Al-Qaeda holds one. Yemen has dropped one place in the Reporters Without Borders Press Freedom Index since 2018. The 20 worst countries for press freedom 12. Cuba The Cuban government has maintained control over the media since the now-deceased Fidel Castro came to power in 1959. Privately-owned media is prohibited by the constitution. Improved access to the internet and the election of Miguel Diaz-Canel as president in 2018 are thought to spell hope for the future of press freedom in the country. Cuba has risen three places in the Reporters Without Borders Press Freedom Index since 2018. The 20 worst countries for press freedom 11. Iran Iran has been one of the world's most oppressive countries for journalists ever since the revolution of 1979. Journalists are often handed lengthy jail sentences in unfair trials. Iran has dropped six places in the Reporters Without Borders Press Freedom Index since 2018. The 20 worst countries for press freedom 10. Laos The government of Laos exercises complete control over the media. Use of the internet is heavily regulated by the state and less than 10% of the population are online. Since 2016, foreign news outlets have only been able to set up offices in the country on the condition that they submit all content for censorship by the ruling Lao Revolutionary people's party. Laos has dropped one place in the Reporters Without Borders Press Freedom Index since 2018. The 20 worst countries for press freedom 9. Saudi Arabia Independent media are not permitted in Saudi Arabia. Saudi journalists working abroad are kept under close surveillance as demonstrated by the murder of New York Times reporter Jamal Khashoggi in Turkey in October 2018. Critical journalists are often jailed on arbitrary terms and likely subject to torture. Saudi Arabia has dropped three places in the Reporters Without Borders Press Freedom Index since 2018. The 20 worst countries for press freedom 8.Djibouti No private media operate in Djibouti. The government uses state media solely for propaganda purposes. La Voix de Djibouti, the only independent media outlet dedicated to the country, operates from Belgium, but it is blocked online in Djibouti. The country remains in the same place as 2018 in the Reporters Without Borders Press Freedom Index. The 20 worst countries for press freedom 7. Syria Due to the ongoing civil war, working as a journalist in Syria is extremely dangerous. At least ten journalists were killed in 2018, three of whom were victims of murder. All parties involved in the conflict are hostile to journalists. Despite this, Syria has risen three places in the Reporters Without Borders Press Freedom Index since 2018. The 20 worst countries for press freedom 6. Sudan Journalists bore the brunt of the regime's crackdown on protests that have been ongoing since December 2018 with over 100 in jail at the time of Omar al-Bashir's overthrow. The situation for journalists has not improved since the military coup in April as the new rulers quickly moved to shut down the offices of Al Jazeera and banned its staff from working in the country. Sudan has dropped one place in the Reporters Without Borders Press Freedom Index since 2018. The 20 worst countries for press freedom 5. Vietnam All major outlets are tightly regulated by the government. Independent journalists are persecuted and jailed under laws outlawing "activities aimed at overthrowing the government,” “anti-state propaganda” and “abusing the rights to freedom and democracy to threaten the interests of the state." Vietnam has dropped one place in the Reporters Without Borders Press Freedom Index since 2018. The 20 worst countries for press freedom 4. China While state owned media are allowed in China, they are closely controlled by the government and the most widely circulated new source in China is entirely state owned. The internet is tightly regulated. Over 60 journalists are currently detained and held in poor conditions, two recently died from cancers that were left untreated after their capture. China has dropped one place in the Reporters Without Borders Press Freedom Index since 2018. The 20 worst countries for press freedom 3. Eritrea Independent media is not permitted in Eritrea. Reporters without Borders believe that there are at least 11 journalists in jail here but the government will not confirm this nor will it allow the suspected prisoners any access to their families or lawyers. Despite this, Eritrea has risen one place in the Reporters Without Borders Press Freedom Index since 2018. The 20 worst countries for press freedom 2. North Korea Kim Jong Un's regime exercise near total control over all media and communications. More foreign media have been allowed access the country in recent years albeit under extremely strict conditions set by the government. Despite this, North Korea has risen one place in the Reporters Without Borders Press Freedom Index since 2018. The 20 worst countries for press freedom 1. Turkmenistan All media in Turkmenistan are controlled by the government. The few internet users can only access a strictly censored web. Journalists are harassed, arrested and tortured. Authorities have recently taken to removing satellite dishes around the cities, ostensibly to make the cities prettier but in reality to cut off citizen's potential to access uncontrolled news coverage. Turkmenistan has dropped two places in the Reporters Without Borders Press Freedom Index since 2018.

In 2013, Mr Sisi, then defence minister, led the military’s overthrow of Mohamed Morsi, an elected but divisive president who hailed from the ranks of the Muslim Brotherhood. The nation’s oldest and largest Islamist organisation was outlawed and branded a terrorist group the same year. Since then, Mr Sisi’s government has been battling an Islamic insurgency, mainly in the Sinai Peninsula.

Last autumn thousands were arrested, including prominent academics, journalists and politicians following rare protests that erupted on 20 September following corruption allegations levelled by a self-exiled businessman against the president and his military. Hundreds were subsequently released.

On Wednesday, the interior ministry issued a statement alleging that the outlawed Muslim Brotherhood was plotting to “spread chaos” and “undermine the country’s stability” by using cyberspace to call for protests and rioting on 25 January. The statement said authorities had arrested members of the Muslim Brotherhood and discovered several weapon caches. Plotters were coordinating their efforts with fugitive militants who reside in Turkey, the statement added.

In recent weeks, there have been calls on social media to take to the streets on Saturday to protest Mr Sisi’s rule. More than the usual number of police vehicles have been been seen in and near downtown Cairo since last week.

“Downtown Cairo has turned into a military barrack. It is full of secret police who would stop anyone,” said Mohamed Zaree, a human rights activist with the Cairo Institute for Human Rights Studies. He said police were checking the smart phones of those arrested for any possible incendiary political content.

“What is going on definitely has to do with the upcoming anniversary of the 25 January revolution,” said Mr Zaree. “The regime is always scared that the 25 January scenario might get repeated.”

Since Mr Sisi’s ascent to power, state officials and state-controlled media have spread the narrative that the 2011 uprising was the outcome of a conspiracy by the Brotherhood and its regional allies, namely Turkey and Qatar. His government even renamed the 25 January national holiday as Police Day instead of The Revolution Day, in a move widely seen by the regime’s critics as an attempt to erase the memory of that day.

However, in his Thursday speech, Mr Sisi hailed the anniversary of the 2011 pro-democracy rallies as a “precious occasion”.

“Today coincides with the anniversary of the 25 January revolution with its noble demands that the Egyptian citizen would lead a dignified life,” he said.