PROMINENT ACTIVISTS FREED AHEAD OF HOLIDAY

Several prominent Egyptian activists and journalists were released from custody on Sunday following months of detention on charges including joining or aiding a terrorist group and spreading false news, lawyers representing them said.

Egyptian authorities have in recent months released detainees ahead of major Muslim holidays. Sunday's releases come two days ahead of Eid al-Adha.

Esraa Abdelfattah, an activist and journalist who was among the organizers of Egypt's January 2011 revolution that ended the 30-year rule of Hosni Mubarak, was released in Cairo early Sunday, her lawyer Ahmed Ragheb told Reuters.

Activist and lawyer Mahienour el-Masry, journalist Moataz Wednan, leftist columnist Gamal al-Gamal, leftist politician Abdel Nasser Ismail and journalist Mostafa al-Asar were also freed, their lawyer said.