Police arrested 6 April Youth Movement member Sherif El-Roubi and escorted him to Al-Haram police station on Friday, during the ongoing security raids which began late Thursday night, according to the 6 April movement.

Police have arrested dozens from private residences, cafes, and streets, since the raids began Thursday night. Lawyers have denounced the arrests, citing a lack of legal justifications for the detentions.

At midday Friday, lawyer Mokhar Mounir stated ten of the men who were arrested from cafes in Cairo’s downtown were released. while three remain in police custody. Police will interrogated these three on Saturday.

The current regime “is trying to protect itself from any opposing voice, and wants to live in its imaginary state which is full of accomplishments and national projects,” stated the 6 April movement.

The raids come as the Egyptian presidency denied on Thursday media claims made by the the privately owned Al-Shorouk media outlet that President Abdel Fattah Al-Sisi commanded top security officials to tighten security ahead of the scheduled 25 April demonstration to avoid the freedom to protest seen on  15 April.

Similar security raids were conducted in January 2016 ahead of the fifth anniversary of the 25 January Revolution.