EGYPT FREES AL JAZEERA REPORTER MAHMOUD HUSSEIN AFTER 4 YEARS

Fri 05 February 2021:

Egypt has released Al Jazeera journalist Mahmoud Hussein after more than four years in detention on accusations of publishing false news, a security source said Friday.

Hussein, an Egyptian national held under preventive detention since December 2016, was released from jail Thursday night, the source said, without giving further details.

Al Jazeera – which has run a daily campaign for his liberation – did not immediately confirm his release but had repeatedly said he was being held without formal charges, a trial or conviction.

Egyptian Authorities accused him of “belonging to an outlawed group” and “propagating false news aimed at destabilizing the country.”

Gamal Eid, head of the Arab Network for Human Rights Information, confirmed to AFP that a decision was taken by authorities to release Hussein, adding however “he has still not returned home”.

In separate tweets, Al Jazeera journalists Jamal and Sarah Raafat, journalist Hossam El-Shorbagy, and human rights activist Gamal Eid reported Hussein’s release.

Qatar Today said in a tweet, “the Egyptian authorities release Mahmoud Hussein, a journalist for Al Jazeera, after an administrative detention that lasted more than four years.”

In a Facebook statement, the Egyptian Observatory for Journalism and the Media said that the Cairo Criminal Court decided on Monday to release Hussein “with precautionary measures pending investigations.”

The Egyptian opposition news website, Darb party also confirmed his release.

Cairo, Al Jazeera, or Hussein’s family has not yet commented on the reports.

Al Jazeera was officially banned in Egypt following a 2013 military coup against Mohamed Morsi, the country’s first-ever democratically elected president.

Hussain’s release comes almost a month after a deal to end the three-year Qatar blockade by Egypt, Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, and the UAE.