An Egyptian doctor detained in Lebanon over the possession of illegal satellite sets has been released, the Egyptian Embassy in Beirut said on Wednesday.
Mohamed Magdy Othman al-Hamshary was detained at the airport after devices that provide direct connections to satellites for secure internet services were found in his possession. Lebanese authorities said they forbid the possession of such devices.
Egyptian state news agency MENA quoted Ambassador Ashraf Hamdy as saying that the release came after the embassy made intensive contacts with Lebanese authorities. He said Hamshary is now staying at the embassy and preparing to head to Cairo late Wednesday.
The Cairo-based Arab Doctors Union on Sunday issued a statement to call for the release of the doctor, who it said was referred for military trial for possessing equipment with direct satellite communication capabilities. The statement added that the device is legal in several countries.
Edited translation from MENA
