Egypt’s foreign ministry denounced on Sunday the United States’ statement demanding the release US-Egyptian dual citizen Aya Hegazy, who is detained on charges related to running a local foundation for street children. The White House had released a statement on Friday calling for Hegazy’s release and assured her family that the US “will continue to offer her all possible consular support.” Hegazy was arrested in May 2014 and has been in pre-trial detention for over two years for an array of charges against the Belady Foundation for Street Children, which she founded with her husband. Without a warrant from the prosecution, the police raided the office, searched it, arrested Hegazy, her husband Mohamed Hassanein and six others after a man alleged that his missing son had been held on the foundation’s premises in downtown Cairo, according to rights groups. Founded in 2013, the foundation was established to provide shelter for street children, developing their skills and securing a safe environment for them, according to the foundation’s statement, released following the arrests. Hegazy’s detention was criticized locally and internationally as she, along with the other defendants, are accused of sexually assaulting children…
