The Cairo Criminal Court, headed by judge Hassan Farid, on Tuesday released Mona Mahmoud Ibrahim, known as Um Zubidaha after she was accused of spreading false news and claimed that security forces had allegedly arrested and tortured her daughter.
The female was released on probationary measures and the lawyer requested bail instead, pointing out that his client has a well-known residence and there is no fear of her escape.
The elderly Egyptian woman was arrested in March in pre-trial detention on charges including “publishing and broadcasting false news that could harm the country’s national interests” and belonging to the Muslim Brotherhood group.
Ibrahim was quoted in an interview with the British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC) saying that her daughter had not been seen since April after being arrested by security forces and that she was tortured in detention.
The controversial report, titled “The shadow over Egypt”, was published and aired on 23 February and included interviews with families of alleged victims of torture and enforced disappearances by security forces.
Her daughter, who was reported to be one of the victims, was interviewed days after the report’s release by a prominent Egyptian TV host. She denied claims that she had been kidnapped and tortured by security forces and said that she had not spoken to her mother in months.
