An aide of former Islamist President Mohamed Morsi, Khaled al-Qazzaz, received a release order from Attorney General Hisham Barakat Dec. 29 but he is still under detention in the hospital, wrote Qazzaz’s wife Sara Attia on the “Free Khaled Al-Qazzaz” website Tuesday.
Attia added that the case was closed by this order and her husband’s legal team succeeded to secure his release, adding that “after 18 months, Khaled and his family were extremely elated and grateful for this news.”
“It has been 8 days since the release order was issued, and while the family has been advised that a release normally occurs within 2 to 3 days, they remain optimistic that formalities will be rapidly concluded and Khaled’s detention will soon come to a close,” her statement read.
Attia, an Egyptian-Canadian, expressed her worries over his health; Qazzaz, 35, was transported to prison hospital to undergo surgery, Youm7 reported in October.
Attia noted that once he will be released, other surgeries could be conducted in a Canadian hospital. He was arrested in the Presidential Palace when the military removed Morsi and several aides July 3, 2013.
On Dec. 12, International Amnesty called on Egyptian authorities to provide Qazzaz medical care, saying “Former presidential aide Khaled al-Qazzaz, detained without charge for over a year, is in failing health and requires surgery. The Egyptian authorities are denying him adequate medical care, as well as access to his lawyers and family.”
The organization sent a letter to Barakat calling for his release as his health was deteriorating due to solitary confinement in al-Aqrab prison.
The Attorney General was not unavailable to comment; Wednesday is an official vacation for remarking the Orthodox Coptic Christmas.
