Egypt releases former anti-graft chief after 5 years in jail

Egyptian authorities yesterday released the former head of the Central Auditing Organisation, Hisham Geneina, after he served five years in prison for allegedly insulting and disseminating false news about the military.

In 2018, Egypt sentenced Geneina to five years imprisonment following controversial press statements he made to the HuffPost Arabi. Geneina appealed against the decision however this was refused by the court.

Geneina sparked widespread controversy before his arrest, by claiming that Lieutenant General Sami Anan had a “well of secrets” and evidence incriminating Egyptian leaders, warning that there was a danger to Anan’s life.

Also in Egypt, prominent opponent and human rights activist, Mamdouh Hamza, announced his return to the country after spending three years in voluntary exile.

Hamza’s lawyer Khaled Ali wrote on Facebook that his client arrived in Cairo a few days after the court decided to cancel the travel ban imposed on him.

READ: Egyptian military court upholds jail sentence of former anti-corruption chief