Egypt releases journalist Khaled Dawoud from prison
Khaled Dawoud was arrested as part of a sweeping crackdown on anti-government protesters in 2019.
Egyptian authorities on Monday released Khaled Dawoud from prison, after the prominent journalist and government critic spent more than a year and a half in pretrial detention.
Dawoud’s arrest in September 2019 came as Cairo launched a sweeping crackdown on anti-government protesters, during which security forces rounded up more than 2,000 people calling for President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi’s removal.
Dawoud was heading to meet his elderly father in Cairo when he was detained, reportedly without a warrant or reason given. The next day, the Supreme State Security Prosecution accused him of collaborating with a terrorist group, spreading false news and misusing social media — charges the Egyptian government frequently slaps on political opponents and activists.
His former cellmate in Tora Prison has described their 6-square meter (64-square-foot) cell as a “choking space” where Dawoud slept on the floor with only a blanket. Prison guards reportedly barred Dawoud from communicating with his family, including his young son.
