Mahmoud Hussein’s freedom was ordered by an Egyptian court last week, but the journalist remains in detention.
An international media group has demanded that Egypt free an Al Jazeera journalist held for more than two years after a court formally ordered his release last week.
The Vienna-based International Press Institute (IPI) sent an open letter to Egypt’s minister of foreign affairs, Sameh Hassan Shoukry, on Monday expressing “deep concern” over the “unexplained delay” in Mahmoud Hussein’s release.
An Egyptian court on Thursday upheld an earlier ruling ordering Hussein’s release from prison after more than 880 days of detention.
As per Egyptian law, Hussein should have been released within 24 hours.
The IPI urged the Egyptian foreign minister to “ensure that your government respects the rule of law by immediately releasing Mahmoud Hussein”.
“Press freedom is an essential element of a democratic society, which Egypt claims to be,” the letter said.
? URGENT: Despite court order last week, #Egypt still has not freed @AlJazeera journalist and IPI member Mahmoud Hussein.
We've written letter to Egypt FM Shoukry calling for Mahmoud's immediate release: https://t.co/0kbUwhAxIT #FreeMahmoud #journalismisnotacrime pic.twitter.com/JEZEN2lbHs
— IPI (@globalfreemedia) May 27, 2019
