The trial of Patrick Zaki underway in Mansura has been updated to 21 June: this was stated by Marise, the sister of the Egyptian student of the University of Bologna at the end of the hearing held this morning at the Palace of Justice in Mansura, hometown by Patrick.

Zaki's lawyers have asked to allow the boy to travel abroad pending the ruling on an anaogo case that is relevant to Patrick's.

Before the hearing, the student was the victim of a cyber attack. "Since last night I have been facing a huge cyber attack on my email and social media accounts," he denounced on Twitter, adding "what a good start !!", a clear reference to the fifth hearing of the trial he was awaiting.

Zaki, accused of spreading false news against Egypt, is on the loose after being released from prison on 8 December, which came at the end of a 22-month custody in prison.

But the activist cannot return to Italy and risks five years in prison for having written an article on some cases of discrimination against Egyptian Christians which would constitute the crime of "spreading false news".

(Unioneonline / L)

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