CAIRO An American medical student detained without trial in an Egyptian prison for nearly 500 days has been freed and returned to the United States, the U.S. State Department said on Monday.
We welcome the release of U.S. citizen Mohamed Amashah from Egyptian custody, and thank Egypt for its cooperation in his repatriation, the State Department said.
Before boarding a flight home late Sunday, he relinquished his Egyptian citizenship as a condition of his release.
No one wanted to take the risk of another Kassem, said Mohamed Soltan, founder of the Freedom Initiative.
His case is welcomed progress and a step forward in the right direction, the Freedom Initiative said in a statement.