Coveney: Ibrahim Halawa to be released this week

Irish citizen Ibrahim Halawa, held in a Cairo jail pending his formal release, will be returned to Ireland within days, Foreign Minister Simon Coveney has said.

Mr Coveney told the Irish Independent he is “very hopeful and confident that we will see Ibrahim home before the middle of the week”.

Mr Halawa was acquitted last week of offences related to his alleged participation in a political protest, after four years of pre-trial detention and a major international campaign for his release.

His family have criticised Egyptian authorities’ decision to keep him in custody until his release is formally approved.

However, Mr Coveney said: “There are a number of reasons . We have just been unlucky in the timing here.

“We have just had the Muslim New Year so, from last Wednesday evening until yesterday morning, basically Egypt was shut down.

“No decisions were being made.”