Abdullah al-Shamy, correspondent of Al Jazeera channel, who was ordered by prosecutor to be freed due to his health condition, arrived at Nasr City police station to conclude procedures of his release.
Shamy started a hunger strike on 21 January in Tora, before he was transferred few days ago to Aqrab prison, according to security sources.
Procedures of releasing Shamy from Tora Prison were concluded, according to his lawyer Shaaban Saeed.
Public Prosecutor Hesham Barakat earlier ordered the release of 13 suspects who were remanded into custody pending investigations over the case known in media as ‘dispersal of Rabaa al-Adaweya sit-in’. Shamy was among the detainees.
Judicial source said, “Release of the suspects came in light of complaints filed by them. Prosecution mulled and submitted them to public prosecution.”
“Releasing the suspects doesn’t mean they are acquitted of charges levelled against them over violence and inciting during dispersal of Muslim Brotherhood sit-in at Rabaa al-Adaweya square,” he added.
The Egyptian government, following the ouster of former president Mohamed Morsy, cracked down on Al Jazeera, banning the channel and arresting its journalists, accusing the channel of being too biased in favor of the Muslim Brotherhood.
Another group of journalists was arrested in a separate case, known as the "Mariott cell," named for the hotel that they were broadcasting out of when authorities arrested them. They are being charged with "spreading false news" and attempting to "spread chaos."
Edited translation from Al-Masry Al-Youm
