Cairo-A prominent activist has been arrested by Police in Egypt and accused of calling for protests in defiance of a new law restricting demonstrations.

According to his family, he was arrested on Thursday night at his home in Cairo.

The blogger Alaa Abdul Fattah was allegedly said to take part in a rally outside the upper house of parliament last Tuesday.

Protesters were calling for the repeal of a new law that bans unauthorised demonstrations.

Mr. Abdul Fattah played a leading role in the 2011 revolt against Hosni Mubarak.

The pro-democracy campaigner was previously detained under Mr. Mubarak’s government and questioned over demonstrations against the Muslim Brotherhood earlier this year.

Egypt’s new legislation, signed by the interim President Adly Mansour, bans protests that do not have prior police notification.

Activists said the new law appears stricter than those in place during the rule of Hosni Mubarak, who was forced to step down in 2011 after mass protests.