Egypt frees Al-Jazeera journalist detained since 2016

AP  |  Cairo 

An has ordered the release of Al-Jazeera Mahmoud Hussein, detained since 2016 on allegations of spreading false and defaming Egypt's reputation.

Hussein, an Egyptian working for the Qatar-based satellite network, was detained at the in December 2016, when he arrived on a family vacation from

No official charges were ever raised against him and Hussein didn't stand trial.

The Doha-based Al-Jazeera reported the on its website Thursday, saying Hussein "was arrested without formal charges and kept in prison for 881 days."

His daughter, Az-Zahra Hussein, said on that her father will be released "with precautionary measures" likely meaning he'll have to report regularly to police and that he's soon to be transferred from prison to a police station.

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First Published: Thu, May 23 2019. 18:11 IST