Egypt Releases Journalist and Blogger Who Criticized Torture

On May 30, Egypt’s General Public Prosecutor ordered the release of Abd al-Monim Mahmud, a prominent TV journalist and blogger who was arrested April 14 for criticizing torture. Immediately following his arrest, Human Rights Watch publicly called for his release and worked to highlight his case in the media. His lawyers have told the press that international pressure from Human Rights Watch and others played a major role in securing his release. Mahmud’s arrest is the latest in a disturbing string of threats to freedom of expression in Egypt. Human Rights Watch will continue to monitor crackdowns on journalists and bloggers in Egypt.