Egypt’s Public Prosecution ordered on Thursday evening the release on bail of three staff members of the Egyptian Initiative for Personal Rights (EIPR) weeks after their arrest. EIPR’s Administrative Manager Mohamed Basheer was arrested on Sunday the 15th of November, a few days after which security forces apprehended Karim Ennarah, the head of the organization’s criminal justice unit. A day later, on Thursday 19 November, authorities arrested Gasser Abdel Razek, EIPR’s executive director. A fourth staff member, Patrick Zaki who was arrested in February 2020, remains jailed. Jess Kelly, the wife of Ennarah who had launched a petition that garnered nearly 150,000 signatures, tweeted that Ennarah had returned home and is with his family. A number of foreign governments also expressed their appreciation and welcome of the release of EIPR’s three staff members. I cannot describe my happiness and relief. Karim has been released along with Gasser and Mohamed and is now home with his family. A huge thank you to everyone who has supported us, Karim feels incredibly blessed and lucky to have you #FreeEIPRstaff @EIPR pic.twitter.com/jHZRHAWFW9 — Jess Kelly (@Jeky_Kelly) December 4, 2020 The German Foreign Office tweeted…
Egypt Releases EIPR Staff on Bail Following International Outcry
December 4, 2020
