Egyptian journalist Khaled Dawoud free of jail

After greater than 18 months in detention, Egypt has freed outstanding dissident journalist and politician Khaled Dawoud.

A former head of the liberal opposition Al-Doustor Party and a senior journalist for the English version of state newspaper Al Ahram, Dawoud was arrested in September 2019 as a part of a tricky crackdown by Egyptian safety forces amid uncommon anti-government protests.

“At round 5pm on Monday, a police official knowledgeable us that the prosecutor had determined to launch him,” mentioned Hisham Younes, a member of Egypt’s press membership, on Tuesday.

“He received out at round midnight… No costs had been introduced in opposition to him.”

Lawyer and rights activist Khaled Ali mentioned on Facebook the prosecution “determined to free” Dawoud.

“Khaled left jail and was taken to state safety. He retrieved his automobile and went house, the place he’s now together with his household,” Ali wrote.

Dawoud, who’s an adjunct professor of journalism on the American University of Cairo, was arrested when a wave of protests despatched shockwaves by means of Egypt as demonstrators known as for the elimination of President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi.

The vocal critic was accused of “collaborating with a terrorist organisation”, “publishing false info”, and “misusing social media” – costs usually levelled in opposition to dissidents.

Among the almost 2,000 folks arrested was Hassan Nafaa, a political science professor at Cairo University and well-known columnist who known as for the president’s departure.

In a uncommon transfer, protesters gathered in Cairo shouting anti-government slogans in September 2019 [Mohamed Abd el-Ghany/Reuters]

This 12 months, Egyptian authorities launched one other journalist, Al Jazeera’s Mahmoud Hussein, who had been in jail for greater than 4 years with out costs or trial. The 54-year-old was arrested in Cairo on December 23, 2016, whereas visiting his household for a vacation.

Since main the army’s overthrow of democratically elected President Mohamed Morsi in 2013, el-Sisi has overseen a broad crackdown in opposition to any dissent.

While members of the Muslim Brotherhood – which included Morsi – had been the principle goal of the heavy-handed method, arrests prolonged nicely past the group. Civil rights activists, journalists, attorneys, teachers and actors have additionally been focused.

In a uncommon criticism of the Middle Eastern nation, the United States just lately joined Western international locations urging Egypt to finish prosecution of activists, journalists, and perceived political opponents below “counterterrorism” legal guidelines leading to prolonged pre-trial detentions.

On that event, greater than 31 international locations signed a joint assertion, the primary since 2014, calling on the Egyptian authorities to elevate curbs on freedom of expression and meeting.

An estimated 60,000 political prisoners are being held in Egyptian jails, in keeping with rights teams, and the nation is taken into account the world’s third-worst jailer of journalists, behind China and Turkey.

Egypt ranks 166th out of 188 international locations on the Reporters Without Borders press freedom index.

El-Sisi has mentioned there are not any political prisoners in Egypt and stability and safety are paramount.

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