Political activist Sherif Diab was released Wednesday morning, five days after he received his release order pending investigations from the prosecution Saturday. Journalist Mahmoud Al-Saqqa received the order as well but has still not been released
The National Security Apparatus told the two prisoners’ lawyer, Doaa Mostafa, that it was unable to release them since it did not receive the documents of the release order from the prosecution.
Mostafa told Daily News Egypt she is still working on the procedures to release her client Al-Saqqa and he will supposedly be released either Wednesday or Thursday. Al-Saqqa detention renewal session was scheduled Wednesday but it was dropped owing to her attempts to appeal the delay of his release order documents to the National Security Apparatus.
Both Al-Saqqa and Diab were arrested on 30 December 2015 and detained on charges of forming an illegal political movement called Youth of 25 January.
Al-Saqqa was allegedly tortured until he confessed to his crimes, according to Arab Network for Human Rights and Information (ANHRI). The location of his detention remained unknown for several days following his arrest.
Al-Swas a member of the Tamarod movement, which played a significant role in mobilising protests against the Muslim Brotherhood regime in 2013. He also took part in the presidential campaign of Hamdeen Sabahy in 2014. Diab was political activist and an organiser of the political movement “Bedaya”.
Since the ouster of former Islamist president Mohamed Morsi mid-2013, journalists have faced threats while reporting in the field, particularly when covering protests. Hundreds of Egyptian journalists organised a protest Wednesday in front of the Press Syndicate to demand the release of their fellow journalists.
