An Egyptian American woman imprisoned alongside 5 other charity workers has been released after being held for three years on false charges.
The mainstream media has begrudgingly given credit to President Trump for intervening in the case and securing their release.
The Trump administration quietly worked for weeks to secure the release of Aya Hijazi, her husband Mohamed Hassanein, and four other humanitarian workers, and the President dispatched a plane to bring them home.
Incredible!
Via The Washington Post:
An Egyptian American charity worker who was imprisoned in Cairo for three years and became the global face of Egypt’s brutal crackdown on civil society returned home to the United States late Thursday after the Trump administration quietly negotiated her release.
President Trump and his aides worked for several weeks with Egyptian President Abdel Fatah al-Sissi to secure the freedom of Aya Hijazi, 30, a U.S. citizen, as well as her husband, Mohamed Hassanein, who is Egyptian, and four other humanitarian workers. Trump dispatched a U.S. government aircraft to Cairo to bring Hijazi and her family to Washington.
Hijazi, who grew up in Falls Church, Va., and graduated from George Mason University, was working in Cairo with the Belady Foundation, which she and her husband established as a haven and rehabilitation center for street children in Cairo.
For three years, the couple and fellow aid workers were held on charges that were never backed up by any proof, and their trials were repeatedly and inexplicably postponed or cancelled.
From crt hearing aquitting Aya & co, via @sharifkouddous. They’ve been returned to prison for processing. Release expected in few days. pic.twitter.com/KsmgPPQnyK
— Mai El-Sadany (@maitelsadany) April 16, 2017
Here is the line from the Post article that really has to hurt – the tacit admission that former President Obama failed in rescuing these prisoners, and it took Trump to bring them home.
The Obama administration unsuccessfully pressed Sissi’s government for their release. It was not until Trump moved to reset U.S. relations with Egypt by embracing Sissi at the White House on April 3 — he publicly hailed the autocrat’s leadership as “fantastic” and offered the U.S. government’s “strong backing” — that Egypt’s posture changed. Last Sunday, a court in Cairo dropped all charges against Hijazi and the others.
AXIOS: Trump welcomes to the White House Aya Hijazi, a charity worker imprisoned in Egypt for three years: pic.twitter.com/bKChaqEH6f
— TBR Feed (@TheBFRoom) April 21, 2017
Basel Hijazi, brother of Hijazi, also praised the President for getting involved in this case and bringing his sister home.
“We’re very grateful that President Trump personally engaged with the issue,” he said. “Working closely with the Trump administration was very important for my family at this critical time. It let us be reunited as a family. We’re so grateful.”
What do you think about Trump playing a role in securing prisoners that Obama was unable to free? Share your thoughts below.
