Cairo, March 03: Two senior opposition leaders in Egypt have been released following popular calls on the ruling military to extricate all political detainees.
Eng Khairat al-Shater, the deputy chairman of main opposition group Muslim Brotherhood, and the group’s executive member Hassan Malek were released on Wednesday, al-Jazeera television reported.
A military tribunal had sentenced Shater and Malek to seven and five years in jail respectively.
Shater’s family held a sit-in in front of the Supreme Council of the Armed Forces on Tuesday, urging the immediate release of the opposition member who has suffered serious health problems since his detention.
Egyptians have frequently called for the disbandment of the military courts, which “unjustly” issued prison sentences for opposition activists during ousted President Hosni Mubarak’s three-decade rule.
The military council took power after 18 days of protests culminated in Mubarak’s ouster on February 11. Egyptians have since demanded that the army hand over power to a civilian government elected by people.
A panel of Egyptian civilian experts has written a new constitution, making 10 major amendments, including a two-term limit for presidents. The ruling military council has reportedly announced a referendum on constitutional changes scheduled for March 19.
Egyptians plan to hold another million-man march on Friday. They have vowed not to stop the demonstrations until all their demands are met.
——–Agencies