Ukraine in Arabic | The most famous Egyptian activist was released from prison
KYIV/Ukraine in Arabic/ Egypt's most prominent activist, who is facing a retrial on a 15-year prison sentence for violating the country's draconian protest law, was granted release on bail on Monday, lawyers and relatives said.
Lawyer Mohammed Abdel-Aziz said that blogger Alaa Abdel-Fattah, a vocal government critic since mid-2000, won release on bail of $714 dollars along with two other activists. Abdel-Aziz said that Abdel-Fattah and his two fellow defendants should walk out of prison on Tuesday once they are done with paperwork.
A leading Egyptian activist, charged with violating a law that seeks to curtail protests, has been released on bail and will have his case transferred to another court.
Alaa Abdel Fattah was a leading secular figure in the 2011 revolt that toppled former president Hosni Mubarak. He comes from one of Egypt most prominent activist families — his sister Sanaa is also in jail for violating the same law, and his father Ahmed Seif was a longtime human rights activist who was repeatedly jailed under Mubarak and who passed away in late August.
Abdel Fattah had already been convicted in absentia in June over the charges, and was given a 15-year prison sentence.
The court that freed him on bail on Monday was retrying him following his arrest.
Abdel Fattah's sentence was the harshest sentence given to secular activists amid a government crackdown on its opponents. He was granted a retrial last month.
