Mahmoud Hussein's family reveals the circumstances of his return to prison

Mahmoud Hussein's family issued a statement explaining the circumstances of his return to prison and the security authorities refused to release him, despite the court's decision to support his release by precautionary measures.

On May 21, an Egyptian court decided to release Mahmoud Hussein, and after the prosecution resumed, the court upheld the decision to release precautionary measures on Thursday (May 23rd).

According to the family statement published by Mahmoud's brothers on his Facebook page, the proceedings began last Saturday. Mahmoud Hussein was released from Tora Prison (south of Cairo) to the Giza police station. On the same day he moved to the police station of the village of Abu al- He was informed that he would carry out precautionary measures two days a week, leaving only a signal from the National Security Office to release him.

The statement added: "After a night bed in the section, the family was surprised that he was taken to the State Security Prosecution in the fifth assembly (east of Cairo), and we were informed that this step is just a procedure," explaining that Mahmoud Hussein was returned to Tora prison, The absence of lawyers - in the case of a new case, case 1365 of 2018, although Mahmoud Hussein was then prison.

"Mahmud 's family was ready to leave and handed him royal clothes after two and a half years of wearing the white uniform of the prison, but he did not write to him for one night outside the prison of Tora.

The family concluded with the statement: "Mahmud is the father of nine children who have been deprived of him for more than two and a half years. His mother and elderly father have suffered multiple strokes of grief over their eldest son, the head of the family and his pride. Mahmoud is an Egyptian journalist in the media for more than thirty years, The Egyptian citizen, who was lost two and a half years after renewed hope of freedom and was separated from his home only a few meters, pulled back to an issue not heard before and is being investigated again without the presence of lawyers.

Hussein was arrested on a regular visit to the country on 20 December 2016, and since his arrest, the prosecution has renewed his remand by 20 times without trial.

Last December, the detained colleague exceeded the two-year limit set by Egyptian law for maximum pre-trial detention.

International solidarity
This comes at a time when the International Press Institute asked the Egyptian authorities to expedite the procedures for the release of colleague Mahmoud Hussein. "On behalf of the members of the International Press Institute, I would like to express our deep concern about the delay in releasing Mahmoud Hussein despite the court order. "

"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 of any democratic society."

Since his arrest, more than 18 international organizations concerned with the protection of journalists, freedom of opinion, expression and human rights have joined the Hussein case, asserting that the charges against him are malicious and fabricated.

A UN legal team has described Hussein's detention as arbitrary and violates international law, while Human Rights Watch said that Hussein's stay in pre-trial detention proved Egypt's stand against freedom of expression, and Reporters Without Borders called on the government to release him.

The Al Jazeera Media Network demands that the Egyptian authorities immediately release Hussein and hold the regime fully responsible for his safety and for violating the principles of human rights and Egyptian and international laws.