“Douma is Free”: Activist Ahmed Douma Receives Presidential Pardon After 10 Years

Political activist Ahmed Douma has been released after receiving a presidential pardon following 10 years in prison, according to posts by Presidential Pardon Committee member Tarek el-Khouly and lawyer Khaled Ali, who wrote “Douma is free” in a post on Facebook.

Douma had five years left in his sentence, issued in December 2013, which included an EGP 6 million fine.

The activist was pardoned from three other cases, two from 2014 and one dating back to 2011. Douma was a part of the 25 January Revolution which overthrew longtime president Hosny Mubarak and he was one of the founders of the 6 April movement that organized protests and civic opposition.

Many members of civil society took to social media to disseminate the news or celebrate Douma’s release. The activist’s trials and imprisonment were high-profile affairs, attracting widespread national and international media attention as well as condemnation by civil society and repeated calls for his release.

Douma’s pardon comes alongside 29 others as stated by lawyer Khaled Ali.