Video: Egyptian Blogger Alaa Abdel Fattah Released on Bail  · Global Voices
Amira Al Hussaini

As soon as he was released on bail, Alaa Abdel-Fattah ran into the arms of his wife and dozens of enthusiastic friends and activists eagerly waiting outside a Cairo police station.
The renowned Egyptian blogger had spent 115 days behind bars without trial and was finally released on bail on March 23, 2014. He will stand trial on April 6.
Abd El Fattah was violently beaten and arrested from his Cairo home on November 28, 2013 allegedly for breaking a newly imposed anti-protest law in Egypt. He is accused of “organising a ‘No to Military Trial for Civilians’ protest”.
This video posted by Mahmoud Salmani on YouTube shows Abdel Fattah being welcomed by family and friends as he left the police station:
And Galal Amr shares this photograph showing Abdel Fattah embracing his wife Manal Hassan:
Alaa Abdel Fattah (@alaa) released. #Egypt pic.twitter.com/gVERaGb9x9
— Galal (@GalalAmrG) March 23, 2014
In his first tweet after his release, Abdel Fattah vows “to continue” [ar]:
احنا اللي دهنا الهوا دوكو. اتنفخنا بعدها صحيح بس عادي مكملين :-)
— Alaa Abd El Fattah (@alaa) March 23, 2014
“We will continue..”
Nadine Marroushi translates the tweet:
@Sarahcarr @Fouda_ @_NSalem_ so better translation “we painted the air with doko. true we got fucked afterwards, but we'll continue” ?
— Nadine Marroushi (@nadinemarroushi) March 23, 2014
Doko is spray paint in the Egyptian dialect.
In addition to Abdel Fattah, Ahmed Abdel Rahman was also released today. Abdel Rahman, who was passing by the protest, was arrested along with Abdel Fattah, as he was helping some girls who were being harassed by the police.
On Twitter, celebrations are in full swing.
Ahdaf Souief, Abdel Fattah's aunt, exclaims:
Twitter is bursting with joy at @alaa‘s release. My laptop needs a break.
— Ahdaf Soueif (@asoueif) March 23, 2014
Mona Seif, Abdel Fattah's sister, celebrates her brother's release saying:
علاء و احمد على الاسفلت … اعظم جملة في الكون :)
— Mona Seif (@Monasosh) March 23, 2014
Alaa and Ahmed are on the street .. This is the greatest sentence in the world
Despite the release order, Abdel Fattah's family was made to wait for hours outside the police station to collect him. Seif describes the ordeal:
احنا مستنيين لسة عند المديرية و مش فاهمين سبب التاخير و في صحفيين بيتصلوا بيقولوا مصادرهم بتقول هيخرجوا بكرة! احنا خلصنا كل الاجراءات!!!
— Mona Seif (@Monasosh) March 23, 2014
We have been waiting outside the police headquarters and don't understand the reason for the delay. Some journalists are calling us to tell us that their sources are telling them they will be released tomorrow
And she adds:
الكفالات ادفعت، خلصنا الاجراءات في النيابة و القسم و احمد عبد الرحمن خرج في بوكس من القسم من كتير!! ليه التأخير و ليه التعنت في كل خطوة
— Mona Seif (@Monasosh) March 23, 2014
The bails have been paid and we have completed the formalities with the Public Prosecution and the police station and Ahmed Abdelrahman has left the police car and has been in the police station for a long period of time. Why is the delay and why is there so much redtape in each step?
The case has been adjourned to April 6.