Egypt releases Patrick Zaki following presidential pardon

Italian- Egyptian rights researcher, Patrick Zaki, was released today after Egyptian President Abdel Fattah Al-Sisi issued a presidential pardon for him and Mohamed El-Baqer, a lawyer who represented detained activist Alaa Abdel Fattah.

Zaki’s release comes after a three-year battle which has seen him in and out of detention, according to Hossam Bahgat, the director of the Egyptian Initiative for Personal Rights (EIPR).

READ: Egypt President pardons detained researcher Patrick Zaki

On Tuesday, Zaki was sentenced to three years in prison by an emergency court on charges of publishing false news over an article he wrote about the plight of Egypt’s Christians.

In a video post on Twitter, Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni said Zaki in due back in Italy tomorrow and wished him a peaceful and successful life

El-Baqer has yet to be released, despite also receiving a pardon. Activists have called for him to also be freed today, his birthday.