Egyptian Jews at large were free but forbidden to emigrate

Evidence

The remaining prisoners, between 300 and 400 of them, were transferred to another prison near the Barrage, where they are being kept in conditions of great hardship. Those Jews who remain at large do not appear to be subject to any kind of restraint or persecution. They are allowed to follow their professions, and to move freely around the country. They are not, however, allowed to leave. — Bernard Lewis, From Babel to Dragomans, 1284

Categorization

• QUESTION: The asymmetry — detained men in prison, free women and children barred from leaving — suggests the regime was holding the community hostage, not pursuing any coherent anti-Jewish policy.
• corroborated: 2 independent passages support this claim — Bernard Lewis, From Babel to Dragomans: Interpreting…, 1284