Egyptian authorities have finally released Mahmoud Hussein, an Egyptian journalist working for Qatar’s Al Jazeera television network, following four years of pre-trial detention. Hussein’s daughter el-Zahraa Hussein confirmed the news in a Facebook post. Hussein (54) was arrested in Cairo on December 23, 2016, while visiting his family for a holiday. The Egyptian authorities had accused Hussein of “disseminating false news and receiving monetary funds from foreign authorities in order to defame the state’s reputation.” This, the journo has consistently denied. Al Jazeera launched a worldwide media campaign, calling for Hussein’s release.
The release came a month after Egypt, Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates and Bahrain restored their ties with Qatar. Egypt had severed its ties with Doha in June 2017.
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