Egyptian military frees detained journalist hours before planned demonstrations
- 8 years ago
The Egyptian military released a prominent journalist and human rights activist on Tuesday after his detention drew widespread protest.
United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon had expressed concern about Hossam Bahgat's apprehension Sunday, which was denounced by local and international human rights organizations.
Bahgat's release two days later came hours before demonstrations were scheduled to take place in Cairo, London and other cities.
A winner of the 2011 Human Rights Watch's Alison Des Forges Award, Bahgat founded the respected Egyptian Initiative for Personal Rights group in 2002.
In recent years, he has written a series of investigative reports for the online news organization Mada Masr.
Bahgat was interrogated for seven hours Sunday after receiving a summons from Egypt's military intelligence, according to his lawyers.
He later called friends to inform them that he would be taken to the military prosecutor to face charges of spreading false information to undermine national security in an article he wrote last month.
United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon had expressed concern about Hossam Bahgat's apprehension Sunday, which was denounced by local and international human rights organizations.
Bahgat's release two days later came hours before demonstrations were scheduled to take place in Cairo, London and other cities.
A winner of the 2011 Human Rights Watch's Alison Des Forges Award, Bahgat founded the respected Egyptian Initiative for Personal Rights group in 2002.
In recent years, he has written a series of investigative reports for the online news organization Mada Masr.
Bahgat was interrogated for seven hours Sunday after receiving a summons from Egypt's military intelligence, according to his lawyers.
He later called friends to inform them that he would be taken to the military prosecutor to face charges of spreading false information to undermine national security in an article he wrote last month.