Hisham Kassem, a former publisher and a popular Egyptian opposition figure, was released from prison on Tuesday after serving a six-month sentence, his political coalition, the Free Current, said.
The group of liberal political parties confirmed his release in a statement.
The release was also celebrated on social media by several of Mr Kassem’s friends, including activist Hossam Bahgat and rights defender Bahey El Din Hassan among others.
Mr Kassem, 65, was convicted in August of libel and slander against a former cabinet minister and for verbally assaulting officers at a police station.
The charges were widely decried as politically motivated by a number of international rights groups, including Amnesty International.
Following his sentencing in September, Mr Kassem was also fined 20,000 Egyptian pounds ($647).
Mr Kassem and the Free Current are critics of Egypt’s regime, particularly its handling of the economy, which was an area of particular focus by the coalition as it published repeated statements on how the government was mishandling its finances.
After his arrest, the Free Current said Mr Kassem was a possible candidate for the December presidential election – which ended in a third win for sitting president Abdel Fattah El Sisi.
The coalition said soon after that it would not field a candidate because “the political atmosphere will not allow for free, fair and just elections, without which the current regime becomes the competitor and the ruler, and the results become decided in advance”.
Since Mr Kassem’s arrest, Egyptian rights groups have repeatedly accused the government of eliminating viable candidates in the election.
Another presidential hopeful, Ahmed Al Tantawy, also a member of the Free Current, was convicted of illegally circulating election documents to his supporters and was sentenced to one year in prison earlier this month along with about 20 campaign staff.
His suspended sentence also included a five-year ban on running for parliamentary elections.
Also on Tuesday, prosecutors released activist and journalist Lina Attallah in exchange for 5,000 Egyptian pounds ($160) in bail.
Ms Attallah, who is editor-in-chief of the independent Mada Masr online publication, was called in for questioning on Sunday in a case filed against her last year.
She was accused of “circulating false information” and of operating a media publication without a license. The first charge is often seen in cases of opposition to the state.
The government did not immediately provide its reasoning for the decision to question Ms Attallah, long after the case was filed against her, something that several lawyers said was irregular.
A number of journalists and activists, including former BBC anchor Rasha Qandeel, decried the arrest and claimed the real reason Ms Attallah was arrested was because of a Mada Masr report that linked the Egyptian state to corruption at the Gaza border.
At Rafah, on the border with the heavily bombed enclave, Palestinian evacuees were allegedly being asked to pay up to $10,000 per person to cross into Egypt for safety or medical treatment.
The Egyptian State Information Service denied the allegations last week and said there were no such transactions taking place.
Tips to keep your car cool
- Place a sun reflector in your windshield when not driving
- Park in shaded or covered areas
- Add tint to windows
- Wrap your car to change the exterior colour
- Pick light interiors - choose colours such as beige and cream for seats and dashboard furniture
- Avoid leather interiors as these absorb more heat
Key facilities
- Olympic-size swimming pool with a split bulkhead for multi-use configurations, including water polo and 50m/25m training lanes
- Premier League-standard football pitch
- 400m Olympic running track
- NBA-spec basketball court with auditorium
- 600-seat auditorium
- Spaces for historical and cultural exploration
- An elevated football field that doubles as a helipad
- Specialist robotics and science laboratories
- AR and VR-enabled learning centres
- Disruption Lab and Research Centre for developing entrepreneurial skills
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
Benefits of first-time home buyers' scheme
- Priority access to new homes from participating developers
- Discounts on sales price of off-plan units
- Flexible payment plans from developers
- Mortgages with better interest rates, faster approval times and reduced fees
- DLD registration fee can be paid through banks or credit cards at zero interest rates
Tearful appearance
Chancellor Rachel Reeves set markets on edge as she appeared visibly distraught in parliament on Wednesday.
Legislative setbacks for the government have blown a new hole in the budgetary calculations at a time when the deficit is stubbornly large and the economy is struggling to grow.
She appeared with Keir Starmer on Thursday and the pair embraced, but he had failed to give her his backing as she cried a day earlier.
A spokesman said her upset demeanour was due to a personal matter.
MATCH INFO
Rugby World Cup (all times UAE)
Final: England v South Africa, Saturday, 1pm
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Day 3, Dubai Test: At a glance
Moment of the day Lahiru Gamage, the Sri Lanka pace bowler, has had to play a lot of cricket to earn a shot at the top level. The 29-year-old debutant first played a first-class game 11 years ago. His first Test wicket was one to savour, bowling Pakistan opener Shan Masood through the gate. It set the rot in motion for Pakistan’s batting.
Stat of the day – 73 Haris Sohail took 73 balls to hit a boundary. Which is a peculiar quirk, given the aggressive intent he showed from the off. Pakistan’s batsmen were implored to attack Rangana Herath after their implosion against his left-arm spin in Abu Dhabi. Haris did his best to oblige, smacking the second ball he faced for a huge straight six.
The verdict One year ago, when Pakistan played their first day-night Test at this ground, they held a 222-run lead over West Indies on first innings. The away side still pushed their hosts relatively close on the final night. With the opposite almost exactly the case this time around, Pakistan still have to hope they can salvage a win from somewhere.
EA Sports FC 25
Developer: EA Vancouver, EA Romania
Publisher: EA Sports
Consoles: Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 4&5, Xbox One and Xbox Series X/S
Rating: 3.5/5
THE DETAILS
Solo: A Star Wars Story
Director: Ron Howard
2/5
Brief scoreline:
Burnley 3
Barnes 63', 70', Berg Gudmundsson 75'
Southampton 3
Man of the match
Ashley Barnes (Burnley)
Roll of honour 2019-2020
Dubai Rugby Sevens
Winners: Dubai Hurricanes
Runners up: Bahrain
West Asia Premiership
Winners: Bahrain
Runners up: UAE Premiership
UAE Premiership
Winners: Dubai Exiles
Runners up: Dubai Hurricanes
UAE Division One
Winners: Abu Dhabi Saracens
Runners up: Dubai Hurricanes II
UAE Division Two
Winners: Barrelhouse
Runners up: RAK Rugby
COMPANY PROFILE
Founders: Sebastian Stefan, Sebastian Morar and Claudia Pacurar
Based: Dubai, UAE
Founded: 2014
Number of employees: 36
Sector: Logistics
Raised: $2.5 million
Investors: DP World, Prime Venture Partners and family offices in Saudi Arabia and the UAE
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STAY%2C%20DAUGHTER
%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EAuthor%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3EYasmin%20Azad%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EPublisher%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3ESwift%20Press%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EAvailable%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3ENow%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
The specs
Engine: 2.0-litre 4-cyl turbo
Power: 201hp at 5,200rpm
Torque: 320Nm at 1,750-4,000rpm
Transmission: 6-speed auto
Fuel consumption: 8.7L/100km
Price: Dh133,900
On sale: now
UK-EU trade at a glance
EU fishing vessels guaranteed access to UK waters for 12 years
Co-operation on security initiatives and procurement of defence products
Youth experience scheme to work, study or volunteer in UK and EU countries
Smoother border management with use of e-gates
Cutting red tape on import and export of food
McLaren GT specs
Engine: 4-litre twin-turbo V8
Transmission: seven-speed
Power: 620bhp
Torque: 630Nm
Price: Dh875,000
On sale: now
Profile
Co-founders of the company: Vilhelm Hedberg and Ravi Bhusari
Launch year: In 2016 ekar launched and signed an agreement with Etihad Airways in Abu Dhabi. In January 2017 ekar launched in Dubai in a partnership with the RTA.
Number of employees: Over 50
Financing stage: Series B currently being finalised
Investors: Series A - Audacia Capital
Sector of operation: Transport
If you go...
Fly from Dubai or Abu Dhabi to Chiang Mai in Thailand, via Bangkok, before taking a five-hour bus ride across the Laos border to Huay Xai. The land border crossing at Huay Xai is a well-trodden route, meaning entry is swift, though travellers should be aware of visa requirements for both countries.
Flights from Dubai start at Dh4,000 return with Emirates, while Etihad flights from Abu Dhabi start at Dh2,000. Local buses can be booked in Chiang Mai from around Dh50
