Egypt releases satirical blogger Shadi Abu Zeid

Image source, Roula Abu Zeid

Image caption, Relatives posted a picture of their reunion with Shadi Abu Zeid (centre)

An Egyptian blogger and satirist has been released after more than two years in detention.

Shadi Abu Zeid, 27, was arrested in May 2018 on charges of spreading false news and belonging to a terrorist group.

His work focused on prejudices in religion, sexuality and within the Egyptian family.

In recent years hundreds of activists and bloggers have been convicted spreading false news and helping the now banned Muslim Brotherhood group.

Human rights groups have accused President Abdul Fattah al-Sisi of overseeing an unprecedented crackdown on dissent after leading the military's overthrow of Egypt's first democratically elected leader in 2013.

Abu Zeid began publishing his satirical program, The Rich Content, on YouTube and Facebook in 2015.

It featured satirical comments and street interview highlighting a variety of social issues, such as religious bias and sexual harassment.

His family posted a photo showing him reunited with his loved ones after his release on Saturday.

He will still be on probation and have to go to a police station every week.

Video caption, 'Art released me from my prison cell'