Seventy detained Sinai residents were released from Azouli military prison after having been randomly arrested recently.
Sinai-based activist Said Ateeq told Daily News Egypt that authorities at Ismailia prison released the 70 detained Saturday, after their names were presented to security authorities.
“The detained had been randomly arrested during army raids in the fight against militants,” Ateeq said.
He added that the released residents have not been involved in any militant activities and do not have affiliation to militant groups active in Sinai.
Following contact with security authorities to advocate the case of the arrested, a list of names was presented upon request, Ateeq said, adding that this was followed by the Saturday release.
The Egyptian army has launched crackdowns on targets affiliated to the militant insurgency in the peninsula. The militant insurgency has dramatically increased since the ouster of the Muslim Brotherhood government in 2013.
The army has arrested and killed hundreds in Sinai since then, on the basis of their involvement or affiliation to militant activities or attacks that targeted security personnel and facilities.
Azouli military prison in the Ismailia governorate has a dark reputation. A June 2014 report by UK newspaper The Guardian claimed hundreds of “disappeared” Egyptians were being tortured and held outside of judicial oversight in the secret Azouli military prison. The newspaper estimated that at least 400 detainees are being held there.
