Al Jazeera journalist released from detention in Egypt

Hisham Abdelaziz had been held in pre-trial detention by the Egyptian authorities since 2019.

Egyptian authorities have released Al Jazeera journalist Hisham Abdelaziz after nearly four years in pretrial detention.

Abdelaziz, an Egyptian journalist for the network’s Mubasher channel, was released early Monday.

His family confirmed his release and said he was now at his childhood home in Cairo.

Abdelaziz was arrested in June 2019 after being stopped while traveling from Qatar, where he was stationed, to Cairo for a family visit. He was one of several Al Jazeera journalists detained in Egypt since the 2013 coup that overthrew President Mohamed Morsi.

His detention was repeatedly extended for what Al Jazeera had previously described as “baseless allegations” and led to a deterioration in his health.

Egypt was one of four countries – along with Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates and Bahrain – to boycott Qatar, which is home to Al Jazeera, in 2017.

Tensions have eased since the boycott ended in 2021. Full diplomatic relations were restored and Egyptian and Qatari leaders exchanged visits in 2022.

However, two other Al Jazeera Mubasher journalists, Bahaa Eldin Ibrahim and Rabie el-Sheikh, are still detained in Egypt.

Al Jazeera has repeatedly called for the release of the journalists.