Egyptian authorities on Monday released Wael Ghoneim, Middle East Marketing Manager for Google and supporter of reform campaigner Mohamed ElBaradei on Facebook.
Moments after his release, Ghoneim wrote on Twitter: "Freedom is a blessing that deserves fighting for.”
Ghoneim was arrested by police while demonstrating on Thursday, 27 January, and his whereabouts had remained unknown. His disappearance prompted Google to issue a public appeal for information on his whereabouts and raised public concerns about his physical well-being.
The Cairo-based Arabic Network for Human Rights demanded that the Egyptian government disclose Ghoneim's location, stating, “He is a young Egyptian, like many others, who came out to express his desire for democracy.”
Newly-Appointed Prime Minister Ahmed Shafik announced on Sunday on state television that Ghoneim would be released the same day.
According to reports in some newspapers, Ghoneim was the anonymous administrator of a Facebook page devoted to Khaled Saeed, the "Martyr of Alexandria," which had called for the 25 January uprising.
On Monday, director Amr Salama, Ghoneim’s close friend, denied the reports.
News has also circulated that Hossam Badrawi, the new secretary-general of the ruling National Democratic Party, had accompanied Ghoneim following his release to Tahrir Square, where thousands of Egyptians are gathered to demand the departure of President Hosni Mubarak.
Ghoneim oversaw the "Arabization" of Google's online services and has participated in several projects aimed at supporting Arabic Internet content.
