Under Egyptian law, people found guilty of inciting or organising demonstrations without permission face jail terms of up to one year and hefty fines.

However, hundreds have gathered in downtown Cairo to protest against Egypt's high unemployment rate and the government's failure to increase the national minimum wage.

Workers' groups say the government's eagerness to attract foreign investment, has increasingly exposed the jobless to exploitation.

Al Jazeera's Tarek Bazley reports from Cairo.