Egypt slaps travel ban on prominent rights lawyer who challenged Sisi

Investigating Judge Hisham Abdel Meguid issued the ban Saturday, the latest in a series of similar steps targeting rights lawyers critical of the government of general-turned-president Abdel-Fattah al-Sisi, which has placed draconian restrictions on the work of rights and pro-democracy groups.

Khaled Ali unsuccessfully ran in the 2012 presidential election won by an Islamist, Mohammed Morsi, who was ousted a year later by the military, then led by Sisi

Ali declared his intention to run in presidential elections earlier this year, but he quit the race in the face of intimidation and harassment of his supporters.

Running virtually unchallenged, Sisi comfortably won the vote.

Egypt has waged a massive crackdown on dissent since Sisi led the military overthrow of an elected Islamist president in 2013.