An Egyptian-Australian detained for more than a year in Cairo without charge is on his way home to his Brisbane family.

April 3, 2019

EGYPTIAN-AUSTRALIAN HAZEM HAMOUDA IS ON HIS WAY HOME

WHO IS HE?

* Australian-Egyptian man, Hazem Hamouda, 55, is a Brisbane IT consultant and father of six living in Australia for more than 30 years.

* He was arrested at Cairo airport after arriving for a family holiday with his children.

WHY WAS HE ARRESTED?

* Egyptian authorities accused Mr Hamouda of being associated with the banned Muslim Brotherhood and spreading false information.

* His family deny these allegations, which they believe may be linked to Facebook posts he made during the Arab Spring in 2011.

WHERE WAS HE DETAINED?

* Mr Hamouda was held without charge in Cairo’s notorious Tora prison for more than a year, where his mental and physical health deteriorated.

* At Tora he shared a 9 x 3 metre cell with one toilet and no beds with 13 other men.

* There was no cooling or heating and food had to be bought in by each prisoner’s family.

HOW DID HE GET OUT?

* Prominent former journalist Peter Greste, who was also detained in Tora prison by the Egyptian government, called for Mr Hamouda’s release.

* Egyptian lawyers and high-profile human rights Australian lawyer Jennifer Robinson also worked for his release with the Australian government.

RELEASED BUT NOT FREE

* Mr Hamouda was released from Tora prison without charge in February 2019 but rearrested as he tried to board a flight to Australia. 

* Egyptian authorities cited incorrect documentation and returned Mr Hamouda to detention even though he was escorted to the airport by Australian consular officials.

FINALLY ON HIS WAY HOME

* Early on Wednesday Brisbane time, Mr Hamouda finally left Cairo. He’d cleared the final hurdle preventing him from leaving Egypt – obtaining an exemption certificate from military conscription.