Egypt releases activist Zyad el-Elaimy as it prepares to host global climate conference

Posted On 24 October 2022

Number of times this article was read : 383

Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi has  pardoned a former parliamentarian, lawyer and key activist from the 2011 revolt who has been jailed for the past three years, officials said Monday.  Zyad el-Elaimy, 42, arrested in June 2019 on charges of fomenting “unrest against the state”, was sentenced to a year in prison in March 2020 for “spreading false news” after an interview with the BBC.

Ikram el-Elaimy, the activist’s mother, confirmed in a Facebook post that he had been released, and “wished the same for all prisoners of conscience” in Egypt.  “A presidential pardon has been granted” for Elaimy, lawyer Tariq Al-Awadi, a member of the pardon committee, said on social media. Elaimy is the latest in a string of prisoners to have been pardoned, with his release ordered as Egypt readies to host the United Nations COP27 climate summit next month.

A symbol of the 2011 revolt that ousted president Hosni Mubarak, Elaimy was subsequently elected as a member of parliament for the Social Democratic Party.  A secular activist, he told AFP in 2015 that he dreamt of seeing the slogans “bread, freedom, social justice, human dignity” become reality.  Cairo has faced frequent criticism of its rights record under Sisi, who ousted late Islamist president Mohamed Morsi in 2013 and was elected president the following year.

Advocacy groups say there are currently about 60,000 political prisoners in the country, a number Cairo rejects.  Rights groups hope to raise the issue at the upcoming COP27 climate summit.  Among the best-known detainees is activist Alaa Abdel Fattah, who has been on hunger strike for more than six months.  The British citizen was sentenced by a Cairo court in December to five years in prison after he was convicted along with two others of “broadcasting false news”, a charge often used in recent years against activists and dissidents.

AFP
Other Articles in this Week's Issue<< Morocco: Protest in Rabat over economic hardshipAlgeria continues to attack journalists and free speech >>
The North Africa Journal's WhatsApp Group
.

Most Recent Stories from the Region

Book: Lafarge Group and the Islamic State

Book: Lafarge Group and the Islamic State

Lafarge’s indictment for financing terrorism reveals corporate entanglements with ISIS to maintain operations in Syria. In Personne morale, Justine Augier exposes how multinationals like Lafarge navigate ethics and profit in conflict zones, raising questions on global accountability.

Written by The North Africa Journal

The North Africa Journal is a leading English-language publication focused on North Africa. The Journal covers primarily the Maghreb region and expands its general coverage to the Sahel, Egypt, and beyond, when events in those regions affect the broader North Africa geography. The Journal does not have any affiliation with any institution and has been independent since its founding in 1996. Our position is to always bring our best analysis of events affecting the region, and remain as neutral as humanly possible. Our coverage is not limited to one single topic, but ranges from economic and political affairs, to security, defense, social and environmental issues. We rely on our full staff analysts and editors to bring you best-in-class analysis. We also work with sister company MEA Risk LLC, to leverage the presence on the ground of a solid network of contributors and experts. Information on MEA Risk can be found at www.MEA-Risk.com.

Pin It on Pinterest

Share This