US woman released from Egypt prison after 3 years

Aya Hijazi, who helped street children, acquitted of abuse charges that human rights groups and US officials dismissed as bogus

By AP 19 April 2017, 4:06 pm

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Aya Hijazi, center, a dual US-Egyptian citizen, is acquitted by an Egyptian court after nearly three years of detention over accusations related to running a foundation dedicated to helping street children, in Cairo, Egypt, April 16, 2017. (AP Photo/Mohamed el Raai)

CAIRO — The lawyer of Egyptian-American charity worker Aya Hijazi says she has been released from prison after nearly three years of detention.

Taher Abol Nasr told The Associated Press she was released late Tuesday, two days after a court acquitted her of charges of child abuse that were widely dismissed as bogus by human rights groups and US officials.

Hijazi and her husband had established a foundation to aid street children, but were arrested along with six others in 2014. It was not immediately clear whether her co-defendants were also released.

US President Donald Trump did not publicly mention the case when he met with Egyptian President Abdel-Fattah el-Sissi earlier this month, but a senior White House official had said ahead of the meeting that the case would be addressed.