Human Rights & Public Liberties

Human Rights & Public Liberties

Newsletter
Published on: 13 Jan, 2021

Egyptian authorities released Mahmoud Hussein

Published on: 7 February, 2021

Egyptian authorities on Saturday released an Aljazeera journalist who was held in pre-trial detention for more than four years. A Cairo court ordered Mahmoud Hussein’s release with “precautionary measures”, pending investigations in February. He was released after Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, Bahrain and Egypt agreed in January to restore diplomatic, trade, and travel ties with Qatar, severed in 2017 over allegations that Qatar supported terrorism, a charge Doha denies. Committee to Protect Journalists has accused Egypt of putting journalists behind bars to muzzle dissent, saying that 27 were in prison as of late 2020. Egyptian authorities say legal action has only been taken against those who break the law.