Cairo: A freelance Egyptian TV cameraman who was detained while covering the country`s constitutional referendum was released on bail on Friday, but the case remains open, authorities said.
Hassan Abdullah Hassan was producing live video coverage of the final day of voting on Wednesday outside a polling station in Cairo for The Associated Press when police seized him along with his driver, Mohammed Salah Mohammed. Mohammed was freed yesterday.
Hassan said he was detained after police saw his footage being broadcast live on Al-Jazeera Television`s Egyptian affiliate and wrongly concluded that he was an Al-Jazeera employee.
Authorities here have been highly critical of Al-Jazeera`s Arabic-language local affiliate, alleging it is biased against the government.
"We are pleased that Mr. Hassan has been released on bail, and we hope that any remaining legal questions can be resolved quickly," said John Daniszewski, AP senior managing editor for international news.
Several journalists have been detained in recent months as part of a broader crackdown on what authorities say is biased coverage favouring ousted president Mohammed Morsi.
Among them were three journalists jailed in December in Cairo while working for Al-Jazeera, arrests that have drawn criticism from numerous international journalist and news organisations.
This week`s referendum was part of the country`s political road map toward new elections for a president. It was also seen as a test of public opinion on the removal of Morsi and his Muslim Brotherhood from power last July by the military in a popularly backed coup.
