Egypt’s controversial professor accused of 'terrorising' a state-owned institution' released pending trial

Controversial Egyptian mass communications professor Ayman Mansour Nada was released this week from custody without bail, his lawyer told The New Arab on Thursday.

Nada was arrested in late September after the Cairo University administration filed a complaint against him following a number of articles posted to his Facebook page where he accused the university president Mohamed El-Khosht of corruption.

"Nada has been charged with publicly defaming the head of Cairo University president and terrorising a state-owned institution, [the university]," lawyer Mohamed Helmy Abdullah said.

"The mere fact that he was released without bail with a condition of residence is a positive step," the lawyer added, declining to comment further on the ongoing investigation.

The professor, known for his support of President Abdel-Fattah Al-Sisi, had earlier published a series of controversial articles, including to his official Facebook page, where he fiercely criticised Egyptian privately-owned media outlets loyal to the regime. Nada also slammed what he described as the "rather weak, unprofessional performance" of talk show hosts.

The articles in question have since been removed from Nada's Facebook page.

"I cannot comment on that. Only Nada can answer why he removed them from his page," Abdullah said.

Nada could not be reached for comment.

Now released, Nada will resume his duties in his capacity as the head of the radio and TV department at Cairo University's faculty of mass communication.

"He has not been suspended. That's why he can resume working while the investigation into the charges against continues," Abdullah concluded.