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June 17, 2025 – India/Egypt/Palestine –
Maktoob Media journalist Nikita Jain, an alumna of Chennai’s Asian College of Journalism (ACJ), was covering the Global March to Gaza—a solidarity movement seeking to press authorities to open the Rafah border crossing. While the march progressed through Tunisia and Libya, upon reaching Ismaïlia, Egypt, Egyptian authorities intervened, detaining dozens of international activists and journalists, including Jain.
At least three dozen individuals—citizens from India, the USA, Australia, France, Spain, Algeria, the Netherlands, and beyond—had their passports confiscated at meetings in Cairo Airport or hotel locations and were detained during attempts to proceed toward Rafah. Maktoob reports that Nikita, along with around 70 others, was held in custody in Ismaïlia; authorities imposed restrictions on photography and video documentation during the detentions.
Jain later contacted colleagues, stating she was stranded at Cairo Airport, having been released from custody but still without a passport, following the relocation of detainees. She has since been issued an emergency passport and planned departure for the following Tuesday. Meanwhile, her alma mater, ACJ, alongside the Network of Women in Media, India (NWMI), has strongly condemned the detention, demanding urgent Indian government intervention and urging the return of her passport to ensure she can continue her professional obligations.
The Global March to Gaza—running from June 12 to July 15—aims to mobilize international opinion and pressure policymakers to end the blockade and open Rafah. But Egyptian enforcement has effectively stalled this campaign by detaining and deporting participants; reports suggest roughly 200–400 activists may currently be in custody.
The detainment has triggered broader backlash. ACJ and NWMI stress that journalists deserve unhindered access and demand diplomatic action. Their statements highlight the press freedom concerns when covering humanitarian and political movements. Maktoob Media’s posts over social platforms underscore mounting worry for Nikita’s safety and role as a working journalist abroad.
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