Egyptian Researcher Patrick Zaki Pardoned After 3-Year Sentence
Egyptian President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi has pardoned human rights researcher Patrick Zaki and lawyer Mohamed el-Baqer, who were both detained for their activism. Zaki had been sentenced to three years in prison for spreading "false news," while el-Baqer was sentenced to four years on charges of disseminating false news, misuse of social media, and joining a "terrorist" group. The pardon came a day after Zaki's sentencing. Thousands of political prisoners remain in custody in Egypt, and rights groups have called for their immediate release.