According to a statement released by Egypt’s Initiative for Personal Rights, Egyptian student and activist Patrick George Zaki is set to remain in detention for having ‘spread false news’ on the country. The Mansoura II Misdemeanours Appeals Court rejected Zaki’s appeal; he is due to stand before the prosecution on February 22. News of Zaki’s continued detention was followed by European Parliament President David Sassoli’s call for the activist’s release on Sunday, at a press conference on Multinannual Financial Framework in Strasbourg. “I want to remind the Egyptian authorities that EU relations with third countries rely on respect for human and civil rights, as confirmed by many resolutions approved by the European Parliament,” he stated. “I therefore call for the immediate release of Patrick Zaky and for his safe return to his family and his studies.” He is currently detained for accusations of spreading rumors as well as false news and “inciting against state institutions and symbols” as per Al Ahram. Zaki, who is a student at Alma Mater Studiorum – Università di Bologna, was detained upon arrival at Cairo International Airport earlier this month. The arrest sparked outrage among…
European Parliament President Calls for Release of Student Activist Patrick
February 16, 2020
