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Egyptian Blogger Is Freed From Prison After 5 Years Egyptian Blogger Is Freed From Prison After 5 Years
(about 1 hour later)
One of Egypt’s most renowned political activists and bloggers, Alaa Abd El Fattah, was released from prison early Friday after serving five years for taking part in an unauthorized protest of military trials for civilians and related charges.One of Egypt’s most renowned political activists and bloggers, Alaa Abd El Fattah, was released from prison early Friday after serving five years for taking part in an unauthorized protest of military trials for civilians and related charges.
Mr. Abd El Fattah became one of the best-known figures of Egypt’s 2011 uprising and a vocal critic of President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi’s use of military trials for civilians to crack down on dissent. He was arrested in 2014 for taking part in a demonstration months earlier against those trials, and sentenced in 2015 to five years in prison for protesting without a permit, rioting and assaulting public servants.Mr. Abd El Fattah became one of the best-known figures of Egypt’s 2011 uprising and a vocal critic of President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi’s use of military trials for civilians to crack down on dissent. He was arrested in 2014 for taking part in a demonstration months earlier against those trials, and sentenced in 2015 to five years in prison for protesting without a permit, rioting and assaulting public servants.
The military trials for civilians have continued broadly, allowed by the terms of Egypt’s 2014 Constitution.The military trials for civilians have continued broadly, allowed by the terms of Egypt’s 2014 Constitution.
Mr. Abd El Fattah’s lawyer, Taher Aboul Nasr, said that the procedures for the activist’s release were concluded on Wednesday. In front of the Qasr Al-Nil police station in central Cairo, Mr. Abd El Fattah’s family and friends were waiting for him to set foot outside.Mr. Abd El Fattah’s lawyer, Taher Aboul Nasr, said that the procedures for the activist’s release were concluded on Wednesday. In front of the Qasr Al-Nil police station in central Cairo, Mr. Abd El Fattah’s family and friends were waiting for him to set foot outside.
“Abd El Fattah is now required to stay overnight at a police station as part of a five-year probation,” Mr. Aboul Nasr said, referring to a stipulation that he must stay at a police station between 6 p.m. and 6 a.m. every night during for the next five years.“Abd El Fattah is now required to stay overnight at a police station as part of a five-year probation,” Mr. Aboul Nasr said, referring to a stipulation that he must stay at a police station between 6 p.m. and 6 a.m. every night during for the next five years.
Mona Seif, Mr. Abd El Fattah’s sister, said in a Facebook post that security forces and masked men had surrounded the police station as the family waited outside. “What is the rationale behind all the heavy security presence?” she asked.Mona Seif, Mr. Abd El Fattah’s sister, said in a Facebook post that security forces and masked men had surrounded the police station as the family waited outside. “What is the rationale behind all the heavy security presence?” she asked.
She and another sister, Sanaa Seif, declined to comment on his release.She and another sister, Sanaa Seif, declined to comment on his release.
Before his arrest, Mr. Abd El Fattah wrote for several independent news outlets, including Mada Masr and the newspaper Al-Shorouk. He had been jailed repeatedly for demonstrating against the government before and after the movement that ousted Hosni Mubarak in 2011, including standing before a military court after clashes outside the state television building that year.Before his arrest, Mr. Abd El Fattah wrote for several independent news outlets, including Mada Masr and the newspaper Al-Shorouk. He had been jailed repeatedly for demonstrating against the government before and after the movement that ousted Hosni Mubarak in 2011, including standing before a military court after clashes outside the state television building that year.
Multiple human rights organizations, including Amnesty and Human Rights Watch, had pressed the Egyptian government to release Mr. Abd El Fattah, calling his sentence politically motivated.Multiple human rights organizations, including Amnesty and Human Rights Watch, had pressed the Egyptian government to release Mr. Abd El Fattah, calling his sentence politically motivated.
In 2014, Mr. Abd El Fattah was nominated for the European Parliament’s Sakharov Prize for Freedom of Thought. He comes from a family of prominent rights activists — his sister Sanaa Seif served six months in prison in 2016 on charges of insulting the judiciary — and several of his relatives have become famous for their stances against the regime.In 2014, Mr. Abd El Fattah was nominated for the European Parliament’s Sakharov Prize for Freedom of Thought. He comes from a family of prominent rights activists — his sister Sanaa Seif served six months in prison in 2016 on charges of insulting the judiciary — and several of his relatives have become famous for their stances against the regime.
His father, Ahmed Seif, who died in 2014, was a rights lawyer who was arrested four times, twice during the rule of President Anwar el-Sadat and twice under Mr. Mubarak.His father, Ahmed Seif, who died in 2014, was a rights lawyer who was arrested four times, twice during the rule of President Anwar el-Sadat and twice under Mr. Mubarak.
Mr. el-Sisi has dramatically clamped down on opposition activists since leading a military takeover in 2014, and tightened his grip over the freedoms in Egypt. Political activists, journalists and bloggers have faced severe sentences for criticizing the government, and although opposition parties occasionally voice their criticism on social media every now and then, little is translated into action, for fear of the increasing waves of arrests and suppression.Mr. el-Sisi has dramatically clamped down on opposition activists since leading a military takeover in 2014, and tightened his grip over the freedoms in Egypt. Political activists, journalists and bloggers have faced severe sentences for criticizing the government, and although opposition parties occasionally voice their criticism on social media every now and then, little is translated into action, for fear of the increasing waves of arrests and suppression.
In a few prominent cases, the Egyptian authorities have released imprisoned individuals. The researcher Hesham Gaafar was conditionally released on Wednesday, after spending more than three years in pretrial detention — in violation of Egyptian law, which stipulates that pretrial detention should not exceed two years. Mr. Gafaar was arrested in October 2015 on charges of belonging to the Muslim Brotherhood, a group outlawed in Egypt. In a few prominent cases, the Egyptian authorities have released imprisoned individuals. The researcher Hesham Gaafar was conditionally released on Wednesday, after spending more than three years in pretrial detention — in violation of Egyptian law, which stipulates that pretrial detention should not exceed two years. Mr. Gaafar was arrested in October 2015 on charges of belonging to the Muslim Brotherhood, a group outlawed in Egypt.
This month, the prominent photojournalist Mahmoud Abou Zeid, known as Shawkan, who had spent more than five years in jail for taking pictures during a violent crackdown in 2013, was released. Like Mr. Abd El Fattah, Mr. Abou Zeid is also required to spend every night at a police station for the next five years.This month, the prominent photojournalist Mahmoud Abou Zeid, known as Shawkan, who had spent more than five years in jail for taking pictures during a violent crackdown in 2013, was released. Like Mr. Abd El Fattah, Mr. Abou Zeid is also required to spend every night at a police station for the next five years.