Egyptian court acquits Irish citizen after four years in jail

An Egyptian court on Monday acquitted Irish citizen Ibrahim Halawa after four years in jail on accusations he participated in clashes with police in August 2013, a judicial official said. Halawa, who has an Egyptian background, was arrested in Cairo after the clashes between police and supporters of former Islamist president Mohamed Morsi who were protesting his July 2013 ouster by the military.
It was not immediately clear whether he also has Egyptian citizenship. Prosecutors had said the clashes led to the deaths of 44 people, the official said. The court also acquitted three of Halawa's sisters, co-defendants in the same case who were released while on trial in November 2013 before they travelled back to Ireland. The Irish government welcomed the ruling.