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Al Jazeera journalist freed

June 16, 2014

Egypt's prosecutor general has ordered the release of Al Jazeera journalist Abdullah Elshamy, citing the condition of his health. Elshamy has been on hunger strike for 147 days in protest against his detention.

https://p.dw.com/p/1CJTL
Ägypten Al-Jazeera Journalist Abdullah Elshamy vom Gefängnis freigesetzt
Image: picture-alliance/AP

Elshamy was one of 13 people freed Monday on health grounds, all of whom were arrested when Egyptian security forces cleared protest camps in Cairo last August.

After ousting Islamist President Mohammed Morsi last July, the Egyptian military launched a brutal crackdown against his supporters. Security forces cleared two pro-Morsi protest camps in Cairo by force, resulting in hundreds of deaths.

Elshamy was covering the events for Al Jazeera Arabic when he was arrested by security forces. Al Jazeera is the Doha-based, international broadcaster funded by the ruling family of Qatar.

Impending Al Jazeera verdict

Meanwhile, an Egyptian court announced on Monday that it would issue a verdict in the trial of three Al Jazeera English journalists and seventeen other detainees on June 23.

Australian Peter Greste, Egyptian-Canadian Mohamed Fahmy, and Egyptian Baher Mohamed have been in detention since December 29.

The three Al Jazeera English journalists are accused of providing a platform for the Muslim Brotherhood, which was banned as a terrorist group in December. Prosecutors are demanding the maximum penalty of 15-20 years in prison.

"On June 23, the entire world will be watching Egypt to see whether they uphold the values of press freedom," an Al Jazeera spokesman said.

slk/jm (AP, AFP, Reuters)