Egyptian court releases prominent female activist

An Egyptian court released activist Esraa al-Taweel on Saturday citing her deteriorating health, a judicial source told AnadoluAgency.

However, al-Taweel, will remain under police surveillance.

The 23-year-old was detained in June and continues to face multiple charges, including belonging to a “terrorist” organization – in reference to the now-outlawed Muslim Brotherhood – and “harming national unity” by spreading false news.

Alaa al-Taweel, Esraa’s sister, confirmed the reported data to Anadolu Agency, stating that their family is awaiting the reaction of the general prosecution, which has the right to appeal the court’s decision.

Al-Taweel, who is also an amateur photographer, was one of the girls who had forcibly disappeared in June for 18 days before being found in Cairo’s al-Qanater prison.

The young activist was denied proper care for a debilitating bullet wound she suffered while covering the 3rd anniversary of the 2011 uprising that unseated autocrat Hosni Mubarak.

Egypt has been roiled by turmoil since the military deposed Mohamed Morsi, the country’s first freely elected president, in a 2013 coup.

This item was first published on Rassd.com, on the 19th December 2015.