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Imprisoned activist Ramy Shaath released from Egyptian custody | News

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Judicial sources say the Egyptian-Palestinian political campaign, which has been under arrest for almost 30 months, will be exiled to France after its release.

Egyptian prosecutor Ramy Shaath has ordered the release of Egyptian-Palestinian political activist after being detained for nearly 30 months, according to reports citing judicial sources and security sources.

The 50-year-old son of veteran Palestinian politician Nabil Shaath, a character in the 2011 Egyptian uprising and coordinator of the Egyptian chapter in the Boycott, Disinvestment and Punishment (BDS) movement against Israel. Zen He was arrested in 2019 and accused of aiding a “terrorist” organization.

As of late Monday, Reuters reported that four judicial sources and security sources had mentioned that proceedings were underway to release Shaath from custody. Two sources, speaking on condition of anonymity, said the activist would be exiled to France after his release.

His wife, Frenchwoman Celine Lebrun, told the AFP news agency: “I was informed of the decision, but as far as I know it is not yet out.”

Lebrun, who was arrested shortly after her husband was deported from Egypt, said she would release a statement after confirming her release.

The Free Ramy Shaath campaign did not comment immediately.

Earlier Monday, prominent MP Mohamed Anwar Sadat also announced an “immediate decision” to release and expel Shaath.

More than a month since Ramy Shaath was taken from his home in Cairo on July 5, 2019, Nabil Shaath said the arrest it was related to his son’s BDS activism in the movement, as well as criticism of his involvement in Egypt. US-led economic plant in Bahrain, was billed by the US administration as the first part of a controversial plan to resolve the Israeli-Palestinian conflict at the time.

In April 2020, Shaath was added to Egypt’s “terror” list along with 12 other people.

In December, five human rights groups called on French President Emmanuel Macron to press Egypt to release Shaath.

Macron spoke about the arrest at an earlier press conference in Paris with Egyptian President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi in December 2020.

The space for dissent in Egypt has been very limited since el-Sisi – a former army chief who became president in 2014 after leading President Mohamed Morsi a year earlier – took office.

Human rights groups say Egypt has about 60,000 political prisoners, many of whom are facing brutal conditions and overcrowded cells.

It ranks among the lowest in Egypt in the Global Public Policy Institute’s Academic Freedom Index.

The order reported by Shaath comes almost a month later An Egyptian court has released investigator Patrick Zaki His arrest in 2020 led to international condemnation.

Zaki was released on December 7, but is still accused of “spreading false news”, “damaging national security” and “pushing for a state overthrow”, among other things.

Amnesty International has previously said that Zaki was allegedly tortured while being questioned by national security officials, using electric shocks and blows.

2019 interview in the 60 Minutes session On US CBS, el-Sisi said there were no political prisoners in Egypt.



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