Egypt releases Al Jazeera reporter on bail-sources

CAIRO, Jan 15 (Reuters) An Egyptian prosecutor has released a journalist from the Arabic Al Jazeera television on bail, judicial sources said, a day after she was arrested carrying what police said were fabricated images of torture.

Al Jazeera yesterday said Huweida Taha Metwalli was a producer who had been working on a documentary on torture in Egypt and other Arab countries and was arrested in connection with video clips of torture found in her possession.

The prosecutor ordered her release on a 10,000 Egyptian-pound (1,754 dollars) bail, the sources said.

Egypt has been facing rising pressure from human rights groups over police misconduct after a tape purportedly showing officers sodomising a minibus driver with a stick was circulated widely on the Internet late last year.

That tape focused attention on treatment that local and international rights groups say is common in Egyptian jails, and led to the arrest of two police officers suspected of involvement in abuse.

Metwalli was being held on charges of undermining national interests and possession of fabricated images, judicial sources said on Saturday. Al Jazeera said Metwalli had informed Egyptian authorities of her planned documentary in advance.

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