ALBAWABA - An Egyptian court in Mansoura has ordered the release of Patrick George Zaki from prison according to his family. His release comes after 22 months in prison.
Patrick George Zaki has been imprisoned in pretrial detention since February 2020. Rulings by the Emergency State Security Court cannot be appealed. #FreePatrickZaki https://t.co/Q478WcydJb
— Sharif Kouddous (@sharifkouddous) December 7, 2021
The social media is going wild about the news of the release. Zaki was taken into custody after he travelled back to Egypt from Italy on 7 February 2020.
A bit of happy news today, a State Security Court ordered Egyptian (& Christian) human rights defender Patrick Zaki released, pending his trial after almost 2 years in prison. Pressure works. Stop fueling Sisi's autocracy by weapon sales & diplomatic kid's gloves treatment. https://t.co/S1vuWiaQUe
— Amr Magdi (@ganobi) December 7, 2021
Zaki is a 30-year-old postgraduate student who had been studying at the University of Bologna in Italy. And his present release doesn't mean he is acquitted but will need to face the charges against him in the Emergency State Security Misdemeanors Court.
BREAKING: Researcher Patrick George Zaki was ordered to be released from detention on Tuesday after nearly 20 months in custody. pic.twitter.com/MUOA93coYa
— Mada Masr مدى مصر (@MadaMasr) December 7, 2021
He is a researcher at the Egyptian Initiative for Personal Rights.