Egypt releases Al Jazeera journalist Mahmoud Hussein after 4 years in custody

Egyptian authorities have released Al Jazeera News Network journalist Mahmoud Hussein after more than four years in prisons, news agencies reported on Friday.

Hussein was arrested in December 2016 in Cairo Airport while he was back to Cairo from Doha. He was remanded in custody over claims of broadcasting false news about the internal situation in the country.

The journalist was also accused of doctoring false media reports and broadcasting them through the Qatari-based Al Jazeera Channel, aiming to incite against the Egyptian state and its institutions.

Al Jazeera has repeatedly called for his immediate release, accusing the Egyptian authorities of putting him “under arbitrary and illegal detention.”

Early this year, Egypt decided to resume diplomatic relations with Qatar based on Al-Ula Accords which ended the boycott between Qatar and three Gulf States along with Egypt.

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