The International Press Institute called on the Egyptian authorities to immediately release the journalist Mahmoud Hussein, stressing that his continued detention constitutes a violation of the standards of international law and Egyptian criminal law.
In a video message, the director of the International Institute, Barbara Triunefe, said that "Mahmoud Hussein, a member of the International Institute for Journalism and Journalism in the Al-Jazeera Network, has been detained by the Egyptian authorities for more than three years. ".
She added, "Over the past three years, the Egyptian authorities have been insisting to extend the detention periods repeatedly and unlawfully. That is why we demand the release of colleague Mahmoud Hussein immediately."
Its members include editors and media executives who work for some of the most respected media in the world, and it has consultative status with the United Nations and UNESCO.
The institute’s letter comes after a previous one last May, in which it requested the Egyptian authorities to expedite the procedures for the release of Mahmoud Hussein.
"On behalf of the members of the International Press Institute, I would like to express our deep concern about the delay in the release of Mahmoud Hussein despite the court order," the institute's executive director said in a message to Egyptian Foreign Minister Sameh Hassan Shoukry.
"As Minister of Foreign Affairs of Egypt, we urge you to ensure that your government respects the rule of law through the immediate release of Mahmoud Hussein, because freedom of the press is an essential element in any democratic society," she added.
On May 23, a court decided to release Hussein, but the authorities included him in a new case and decided to imprison him.
The Egyptian authorities arrested Mahmoud Hussein on December 20, 2016, and the prosecution renewed his detention dozens of times.
Al Jazeera Media Network demands the Egyptian authorities to immediately release Mahmoud Hussein, and holds the regime fully responsible for his safety, and for violating human rights principles and Egyptian laws.