At a Saturday press conference, Egyptian Interior Minister Mohamed Ibrahim voiced his willingness to withdraw a complaint filed earlier against April 6 Youth Movement founder Ahmed Maher.
Maher was arrested on Friday afternoon upon his arrival to Cairo International Airport en route from Vienna, following a visit he made to the United States.
Maher will reportedly be held by authorities for four days pending further investigation.
On Saturday, the office of the prosecutor-general ordered Maher’s release, although charges against him remain in place.
According an interior ministry official cited by state news agency MENA, Maher has been charged with inciting demonstrations outside the interior minister’s Cairo residence in March.
On 29 March, four April 6 members were arrested and charged with rioting and resisting police after security forces dispersed a protest organised by the youth group outside Interior Minister Mohamed Ibrahim’s home in the capital’s New Cairo district.
Protesters held up banners – along with women’s undergarments – accusing the ministry of “prostituting” itself to the administration of President Mohamed Morsi.
One month later, a New Cairo court ordered the four April 6 members’ release. It remains unclear, however, whether the charges against the four activists have been dropped.
Ahram
