Al Jazeera strongly condemns Mahmoud Hussein’s extended detention by Egypt

Al Jazeera Media Network has strongly condemned the Egyptian authorities’ decision to extend the detention of Al Jazzera journalist Mahmoud Hussein in Tora prison, despite a judicial order to release him.

On Thursday, 23 May, an Egyptian court decided to release Mahmoud Hussein after he had been held for more than 800 days without trial.

Dr Mustapha Sawak, Director-General of Al Jazeera Network, commented on the Egyptian State’s recent decision saying:

We hold the Egyptian authorities fully responsible for extending my colleague Mahmoud Hussein’s detention based on a false pretext and without providing a legal justification for such a decision. It is another sad day for all the journalists and Mahmoud’s family and colleagues who rejoiced following the release order that they have been impatiently waiting for. However, instead of freeing him, the Egyptian authorities sent Mahmoud Hussein back to one of the worst prisons in the country.

Sawak added: “We must not remain silent about these unjust punitive measures imposed by repressive regimes on journalists who only tried to fulfil their noble duty.”

He continued: “Mahmoud has been in detention for 880 days, in a flagrant violation of all the provisions and regulations, including the Egyptian Constitution. This confirms that the authorities in Egypt have no respect for the most basic human rights and the values ​​of freedom of the press and expression.”

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Al-Jazeera called for the ending Hussein’s arbitrary detention and demanded his immediate release; decrying in the strongest terms of denunciation and condemnation the Egyptian security forces’ attempt to fabricate new charges against him.

Al Jazeera urged all human rights organisations, freedom groups and the world’s free spirits to denounce the Egyptian authorities’ delay in releasing Mahmoud Hussein and demand his immediate release.