Egyptian women’s rights advocate Azza Soliman freed on bail

Egyptian women’s rights advocate Azza Soliman was freed on bail late on Wednesday after being accused by an investigating judge of establishing an illegal entity and receiving foreign funding to harm Egypt, her foundation and fellow activists said.

Soliman, founder of the Center for Egyptian Women’s Legal Assistance (CEWLA), was freed after paying a 20,000 pound ($1,000) bond, the organization announced on Twitter. She had been detained by police earlier in the day.

There was no immediate comment from the Interior Ministry. Soliman did not immediately respond to requests for comment.

Several non-governmental organizations (NGOs), most involved in rights work, are embroiled in the long-running investigation, accused of receiving foreign funds to destabilize the country.

Fellow activists who attended proceedings said Soliman was accused of tax evasion, establishing an illegal entity and receiving foreign funds to harm Egypt.

In September, a court froze the assets of five prominent human rights activists and three NGOs on similar grounds, paving the way to a criminal trial that could lead sentences.

In 2013, a court ordered the closure of several foreign groups, including U.S.-based Freedom House, and gave jail sentences to 43 NGO staff including 15 Americans who fled.

A case against dozens of Egyptian NGOs and lawyers was never closed but was largely dormant until this year.

Soliman was one of a number of activists, lawyers and journalists banned from leaving Egypt in the last month alone.

She said last week that she was turned back on Nov. 19 at Cairo airport. Soliman later discovered that her assets and those of her group had been frozen.