The freed Egyptian researcher, human
rights activist and Bologna University alumnus Patrick Zaki is
expected in Bologna on Sunday evening, the university said on
Saturday.
Zaki will fly into Milan Malpensa and be accompanied to the Alma
Mater by Rector Giovanni Molari and Professor Rita Monticelli,
the coordinator of the master's course in women's and gender
studies in which he graduated earlier this month.
The three will then hold a press conference at the university at
8.30 pm local time.
Zaki will not meet with reporters at Malpensa airport.
In agreement with the municipality of Bologna, a public event is
planned in Bologna's Piazza Maggiore on July 30 at 8 pm to
celebrate the activist's release and return to Italy.
On Friday Zaki celebrated his pardon and release from police
custody in Cairo with other human rights activists including
lawyer Mohamed El-Baqer, who also received a pardon from
Egyptian President al Sisi on Wednesday.
On Tuesday Zaki was sentenced to three years in prison for
allegedly spreading fake news in relation to an article on the
condition of Coptic Christians in Egypt.
He has been arrested by Egyptian police in February 2020 and
held in pre-trial detention for 22 months before being released
but banned from leaving the country.
Earlier this month Zaki obtained a masters degree in women's and
gender studies from Bologna University with the maximum grade of
110 with distinction, defending his thesis via video link after
the authorities in his homeland refused permission for him to
present it in person.
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