CAIRO — Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi’s declaration of 2016 as the “Year of the Youth” came as security forces were arresting hundreds of citizens just days prior to the five-year anniversary of the January 25 Revolution. The forces raided and shut down cultural cafes in central Cairo, where young people frequently hang out.

Speaking in front of a group of carefully selected youths Jan. 9 at the Cairo Opera House, Sisi proclaimed the year would honor young people. While some Egyptian newspapers said the announcement was an effort to reconcile with youths, many young people mocked Sisi’s discourse on social media. Some posted photos of young people in prison and of recent police violations against opposition youths.

According to some estimates, more than 40,000 Egyptians are locked behind bars for political reasons.

Yasmin Mahfouz, a young Egyptian woman with more than 100,000 Twitter followers, tweeted Jan. 19, “Which party [is served by] the daily news of youth being arrested on false charges, or without charge? Is this the ‘year of Egyptian youth’ or the ‘year of their incarceration’?”