A judge representing the public prosecutor's office ordered the release of prominent blogger and activist Alaa Abd El Fattah today. Abd El Fattah will be released to his residence on Monday and is prohibited from traveling. His case is still pending investigation. Abd El Fattah was arrested following violent clashes outside Maspero on 9 October. Twenty-seven civilians and one soldier were killed when the military and police attacked peaceful protesters, most of whom were Copts. Abd El Fattah is charged, along with 27 other suspects, with the murder of a soldier, stealing weapons from the armed forces and destroying public and private property. The other 27 suspects were released on remand on 15 December. Ramy Ghanem, one of the lawyers working on the case, told Egypt Independent that charges have not been dropped and the 28 suspects, including Abd El Fattah, still face prosecution. No date has been set for the trial, Ghamen added. Although the general prosecutor announced the transfer of the case from the Emergency Supreme State Security Court to an investigation judge, the decision has not been processed yet, said Ghanem. Abd El Fattah is scheduled to be released tomorrow following the completion of administrative procedures.
