Egyptian activist Ahmed Douma freed after presidential pardon
Douma was a leading activist in the 2011 uprising that toppled then president Mubarak
Cairo: Egypt's President Abdel Fattah Al Sisi pardoned prominent activist Ahmed Douma, along with a number of prisoners, state TV said on Saturday.
Douma, a leading figure in the pro-democracy revolt that toppled Hosni Mubarak, was detained a decade ago and sentenced in 2019 to 15 years in prison for rioting and attacking security forces.
Last month, authorities also freed rights researcher Patrick Zaki and lawyer Mohamed el-Baqer after they were pardoned by Al Sisi.
Baqer and others could be seen greeting Douma when he came out of Badr prison.
"I would have liked to have said that I am happy after 10 years (in detention), but honestly I am postponing the celebration until everyone is out," Douma told Reuters outside the prison. "So, I hope this will be soon."
Leftist politician Hamdeen Sabahi also greeted Douma upon his release, and thanked Sisi for the pardon.
"I hope that we can continue on this road until Egypt becomes a country void of any prisoners of conscience," he told Reuters.