<p>Egypt's President, Abdel Fattah el-Sisi, has granted pardons to human rights researcher Patrick Zaki and lawyer Mohamed el-Baqer, as reported by state-run media.</p>

<p>The pardon was issued on Wednesday (July 19), just a day after Patrick Zaki received a three-year prison sentence for allegedly spreading "false news." The 32-year-old researcher was imprisoned based on an article he wrote that highlighted the discrimination faced by Egypt's Coptic Christian minority, as reported by Al Jazeera.&nbsp;</p>

<p>In addition to Patrick Zaki's pardon, President el-Sisi also granted clemency to lawyer Mohamed el-Baqer, who represents Alaa Abd el-Fattah, Egypt's most prominent political prisoner.</p>

<p>El-Baqer had been detained in 2019 and was subsequently sentenced to four years in prison on charges of disseminating false information, misusing social media, and affiliating with a "terrorist" group.</p>

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<p dir="ltr" lang="en">Baqer and Patrick should not have spent one day in jail for their human rights work. We welcome the news of their pardon and call for the immediate release of thousands still detained in Egypt on political grounds</p>
— hossam bahgat حسام بهجت (@hossambahgat) <a href="https://twitter.com/hossambahgat/status/1681696446779731971?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">July 19, 2023</a></blockquote>
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<h2><strong>Calls for further releases and immediate freedom</strong></h2>

<p>The news of the pardons was met with appreciation from human rights activists. Hossam Bahgat, the executive director of the Egyptian Initiative for Personal Rights, which represented Patrick Zaki in court, welcomed the pardon and called for the immediate release of thousands of others detained in Egypt on political grounds.</p>

<p>The US Department of State had earlier expressed concern over Patrick Zaki's sentencing through a tweet and urged for his and other unjustly detained individuals' immediate release.</p>

<p><strong>Also read |&nbsp;</strong><a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/russia-says-struck-ukrainian-ports-in-mass-revenge-strike-for-crimean-bridge-617118">Russia says air strikes on Ukrainian ports were retaliation for Crimean Bridge attack</a></p>

<h2><strong>Patrick Zaki's arrest and background</strong></h2>

<p>Patrick Zaki, a graduate student at the University of Bologna, was arrested by Egyptian authorities in February 2020 upon his arrival at Cairo International Airport while visiting his family.</p>

<p>Italy's Prime Minister, Giorgia Meloni, reaffirmed Rome's unwavering commitment to resolving Patrick Zaki's case positively.</p>

<p><strong>Also watch |&nbsp;Egypt bans Travis Scott's concert after an online campaign</strong></p>

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<p>Egypt has recently pardoned numerous detainees following international scrutiny of its human rights record during the hosting of the United Nations climate change summit in November.</p>

<p>Despite these pardons, thousands of political prisoners are believed to remain in Egyptian custody, with many being held without trial.</p>

<p>Meanwhile, the government initiated a "national dialogue" this year to engage with the severely weakened opposition in the wake of a decade of repression following the overthrow of the country's first democratically elected president, Mohamed Morsi.</p>

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Egypt's President, Abdel Fattah el-Sisi, has granted pardons to human rights researcher Patrick Zaki and lawyer Mohamed el-Baqer, as reported by state-run media.

Egypt's President, Abdel Fattah el-Sisi, has granted pardons to human rights researcher Patrick Zaki and lawyer Mohamed el-Baqer, as reported by state-run media. The pardon was issued on Wednesday (July 19), just a day after Patrick Zaki received a three-year prison sentence for allegedly spreading "false news." The 32-year-old researcher was imprisoned based on an article he wrote that highlighted the discrimination faced by Egypt's Coptic Christian minority, as reported by Al Jazeera. In addition to Patrick Zaki's pardon, President el-Sisi also granted clemency to lawyer Mohamed el-Baqer, who represents Alaa Abd el-Fattah, Egypt's most prominent political prisoner. El-Baqer had been detained in 2019 and was subsequently sentenced to four years in prison on charges of disseminating false information, misusing social media, and affiliating with a "terrorist" group. Baqer and Patrick should not have spent one day in jail for their human rights work. We welcome the news of their pardon and call for the immediate release of thousands still detained in Egypt on political grounds — hossam bahgat حسام بهجت (@hossambahgat) July 19, 2023 × Calls for further releases and immediate freedom The news of the pardons was met with appreciation from human rights activists. Hossam Bahgat, the executive director of the Egyptian Initiative for Personal Rights, which represented Patrick Zaki in court, welcomed the pardon and called for the immediate release of thousands of others detained in Egypt on political grounds. The US Department of State had earlier expressed concern over Patrick Zaki's sentencing through a tweet and urged for his and other unjustly detained individuals' immediate release. Also read | Russia says air strikes on Ukrainian ports were retaliation for Crimean Bridge attack Patrick Zaki's arrest and background Patrick Zaki, a graduate student at the University of Bologna, was arrested by Egyptian authorities in February 2020 upon his arrival at Cairo International Airport while visiting his family. Italy's Prime Minister, Giorgia Meloni, reaffirmed Rome's unwavering commitment to resolving Patrick Zaki's case positively. Also watch | Egypt bans Travis Scott's concert after an online campaign Egypt has recently pardoned numerous detainees following international scrutiny of its human rights record during the hosting of the United Nations climate change summit in November. Despite these pardons, thousands of political prisoners are believed to remain in Egyptian custody, with many being held without trial. Meanwhile, the government initiated a "national dialogue" this year to engage with the severely weakened opposition in the wake of a decade of repression following the overthrow of the country's first democratically elected president, Mohamed Morsi. WATCH WION LIVE HERE:

Egypt's president grants pardon to human rights researcher arrested for spreading 'false news'

<p>Oscar-nominated short film 'Detainment' is possibly one of the most controversial films nominated for an Academy Award.</p>

<p>The film, which reenacts the 1993 interviews of 10 year-olds Jon Venables and Robert Thompson, before they became the youngest people ever to be convicted of murder in the UK after abducting and murdering two-year-old James Bulger.</p>

<p>Bulger's mother, Denise Fergus, has reacted angrily on Twitter about the inclusion of the film in the Oscar race, saying "I cannot express how disgusted and upset I am at this so-called film that has been made and now nominated for an Oscar."</p>

<p>An online petition has also been set up to demand the Academy withdraw the film from the short film competition. The Academy responded with a press release explaining its neutrality in the choosing of the films to compete.</p>

<p>When asked about the controversy, director Vincent Lambe replied "It's a hugely sensitive case and I have enormous sympathy for the Bulger family. I always have. And we never meant to cause any distress by making this film but it is a difficult film, I think, to make and because there's more than one perspective on the case, we decided to not contact any of the families involved in it and we focused solely on the factual material that was available and the transcripts that have been public knowledge for 25 years."</p>

<p>The case continues to be headlines in the United Kingdom 25 years on because of the horrific nature of the case.</p>

<p>Lambe said "I've never claimed that the film has the answers as to why these two boys did it but when I started to look into it, that's what I wanted to know. I could never understand how two 10-year-old boys could commit such a horrific crime. So it doesn't have the answers but it does allow people to ask the right questions and I would hope that they would want to research it more or try to get a deeper understanding of it after they've seen it."</p>

<p>He added "It would be great to get the recognition from the Academy because I do think it's an important film. I think it's a film that people need to see. It shows a different perspective on the case and I hope that people will be able to watch it with an open mind and if it helps heal or give it recognition, that would be great."</p>

<p>The award for short live-action film won't be televised but will be given out during a commercial break.</p>

<p>Meanwhile, the Academy is currently facing a backlash from Hollywood over its decision&nbsp;to give <a href="http://www.wionews.com/entertainment/the-academy-faces-backlash-from-cuaron-del-toro-as-it-decides-to-give-techincal-oscars-during-ad-break-196991">technical Oscars during ad breaks.&nbsp;</a></p>


Oscar-nominated short film 'Detainment' is possibly one of the most controversial films nominated for an Academy Award. The film, which reenacts the 1993 interviews of 10 year-olds Jon Venables and Robert Thompson, before they became the youngest people ever to be convicted of murder in the UK after abducting and murdering two-year-old James Bulger.

Oscar-nominated short film 'Detainment' is possibly one of the most controversial films nominated for an Academy Award. The film, which reenacts the 1993 interviews of 10 year-olds Jon Venables and Robert Thompson, before they became the youngest people ever to be convicted of murder in the UK after abducting and murdering two-year-old James Bulger. Bulger's mother, Denise Fergus, has reacted angrily on Twitter about the inclusion of the film in the Oscar race, saying "I cannot express how disgusted and upset I am at this so-called film that has been made and now nominated for an Oscar." An online petition has also been set up to demand the Academy withdraw the film from the short film competition. The Academy responded with a press release explaining its neutrality in the choosing of the films to compete. When asked about the controversy, director Vincent Lambe replied "It's a hugely sensitive case and I have enormous sympathy for the Bulger family. I always have. And we never meant to cause any distress by making this film but it is a difficult film, I think, to make and because there's more than one perspective on the case, we decided to not contact any of the families involved in it and we focused solely on the factual material that was available and the transcripts that have been public knowledge for 25 years." The case continues to be headlines in the United Kingdom 25 years on because of the horrific nature of the case. Lambe said "I've never claimed that the film has the answers as to why these two boys did it but when I started to look into it, that's what I wanted to know. I could never understand how two 10-year-old boys could commit such a horrific crime. So it doesn't have the answers but it does allow people to ask the right questions and I would hope that they would want to research it more or try to get a deeper understanding of it after they've seen it." He added "It would be great to get the recognition from the Academy because I do think it's an important film. I think it's a film that people need to see. It shows a different perspective on the case and I hope that people will be able to watch it with an open mind and if it helps heal or give it recognition, that would be great." The award for short live-action film won't be televised but will be given out during a commercial break. Meanwhile, the Academy is currently facing a backlash from Hollywood over its decision to give technical Oscars during ad breaks.

'Detainment' director addresses controversy around Oscar nomination

<p>The director of an Oscar-nominated short film about two boys who murdered a British toddler in 1993 on Thursday defended the film, saying he never intended to bring fresh anguish to the families involved.</p>

<p>'Detainment,' a 30-minute film about the death of James Bulger, caused a furore in Britain after it was nominated for an Oscar on Tuesday in the short film category.&nbsp;</p>

<p>An online petition asking for the film to be withdrawn from Oscar contention has attracted more than 130,000 signatures.</p>

<p>The James Bulger case, in which two 10-year-old boys lured Bulger from a northern English shopping mall and tortured him to death, is one of Britain's most notorious criminal cases.</p>

<p>'Detainment,' directed by Vincent Lamb, uses transcripts of police interviews, official records and security camera footage of the boys luring Bulger away from the mall. Actors play the parts of the two convicted boys.</p>

<p>Bulger's mother, Denise Fergus, said on Twitter that the film had made her family relive the event all over again. Other family members said the film humanized the two young killers.</p>

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<p dir="ltr" lang="en">This is all I want to say at present. <a href="https://t.co/GbyshtVoa9">pic.twitter.com/GbyshtVoa9</a></p>
— Denise Fergus (@Denise_fergus) <a href="https://twitter.com/Denise_fergus/status/1087717531782184960?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 22, 2019</a></blockquote>
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<p>Lambe said in a statement that the film "was never intended to bring any further anguish to the family of James Bulger and we never intended any disrespect by not consulting them."</p>


The director of an Oscar-nominated short film about two boys who murdered a British toddler in 1993 on Thursday defended the film, saying he never intended to bring fresh anguish to the families involved.

The director of an Oscar-nominated short film about two boys who murdered a British toddler in 1993 on Thursday defended the film, saying he never intended to bring fresh anguish to the families involved. 'Detainment,' a 30-minute film about the death of James Bulger, caused a furore in Britain after it was nominated for an Oscar on Tuesday in the short film category. An online petition asking for the film to be withdrawn from Oscar contention has attracted more than 130,000 signatures. The James Bulger case, in which two 10-year-old boys lured Bulger from a northern English shopping mall and tortured him to death, is one of Britain's most notorious criminal cases. 'Detainment,' directed by Vincent Lamb, uses transcripts of police interviews, official records and security camera footage of the boys luring Bulger away from the mall. Actors play the parts of the two convicted boys. Bulger's mother, Denise Fergus, said on Twitter that the film had made her family relive the event all over again. Other family members said the film humanized the two young killers. This is all I want to say at present. pic.twitter.com/GbyshtVoa9 — Denise Fergus (@Denise_fergus) January 22, 2019 × Lambe said in a statement that the film "was never intended to bring any further anguish to the family of James Bulger and we never intended any disrespect by not consulting them."

Director says no harm intended with Oscar-nominated child murder film 'Detainment'

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