Egypt releases prominent blogger

By Mohamed Mahmoud

CAIRO

Egyptian authorities have released prominent blogger Wael Abbas after a seven-month detention, according to his lawyer on Wednesday.

“Abbas has been freed and arrived at his home,” Khaled Ali said in a post on his Facebook page.

The blogger’s sister has also confirmed his release in another Facebook post.

Abbas’ release came one week after an Egyptian court ordered his conditional release.

The blogger was detained in May on accusations of disseminating false news and joining an outlawed group.

Rights groups accuse Egyptian authorities of stifling freedom of speech and arresting activists, accusations denied by the authorities.

Egypt was roiled by unrest in 2013 after the military deposed Mohamed Morsi, the country’s first freely elected president and a Muslim Brotherhood group in a coup.