The elegant Greek Club in the heart of downtown Cairo has hosted many joyful society events over the years, but the 30 or so editors and leading journalists who gathered there on Monday for the inaugural meeting of the Egyptian Editors Association were not in a cheerful mood.

Although 'local journalists' in Egypt often risk life and limb to cover events, they seldom enjoy the institutional protections afforded their mainstream counterparts

In a bold move, a number of Egypt's most prominent independent newspapers are staging a one day media blackout in protest against President Mohamed Morsi’s latest constitutional decree that hands him nearly unrestricted powers, as well as the final draft of the constitution that was adopted last week by an Islamic-led panel.

Egyptian journalist Salma El-Wardany and Sudanese blogger Maha El-Senoussy were reportedly arrested by The National Sudanese State Security Service (NISS) while covering events in Khartoum.