Cairo: An Egyptian court has ordered the release of a lawyer held in solitary confinement for the past three months after he challenged in court a decision by President Abdul Fattah Al Sissi to hand over two Red Sea islands to Saudi Arabia.

Thursday’s decision to free Malek Adli, who hasn’t been formally charged but remains incarcerated since his May arrest on a rolling series of administrative detention orders, could still be appealed by prosecutors.

Adli has been jailed with almost no communication with the outside world, sleeping on a bare floor in conditions that his lawyers say amount to torture.

Supporters say that he was a victim of personal vendetta after he essentially insulted Al Sissi in a televised interview.