Hisham Kassem has been sent to prison awaiting trial on slander and verbal assault charges.
Political activist Hisham Kassem has been especially critical of President Abdel-Fattah al-Sisi and his government.
Fellow al-Tayar al-Hurr organiser Gameela Ismail said the coalition intends to offer or support a candidate for the election, and that the government had been pressuring members since its formation. The U.S. State Department welcomed the releases, but urged Egypt to release “all unjustly detained political prisoners”.Lawyer Nasser Amin told Reuters the case’s quick referral to trial before a ruling on a request for bail was unusually harsh for the crime. His trial is set for Sept 2.“Hisham Kassem committed the crimes of insult, slander, and assault,” said a security source at the interior ministry.