CAIRO, Aug 28 (Aswat Masriya) - Human rights lawyer Malek Adly has been released on Sunday after an Egyptian court rejected a prosecution appeal on his release.

The Banha Criminal court had ordered on Thursday the release of Adly from detention pending investigation, before the prosecution appealed the decision.

A criminal court however rejected the appeal on Saturday and upheld the decision to release the prominent lawyer.  

Despite ordering his release on Saturday, Adly was released from Shobra El-Kheima police station on Sunday morning amid criticism over the delay in releasing the human rights activist.   

Lawyer Tarek al-Awady confirmed Adly's release in a statement published on his Facebook account.

Adly was reportedly held in solitary confinement, which led to a rapid deterioration of his health, according to several statements by his wife Asmaa Ali.

The prominent lawyer was detained on May 6 after publicly opposing the maritime border demarcation agreement between Egypt and Saudi Arabia, which saw Egypt handing the two Red Sea islands of Tiran and Sanafir to Saudi Arabia.

Prosecution accused him of inciting protest, publishing false news, possessing publications inciting against the state, joining an organisation that aims to disable the provisions of the constitution, and working to overthrow the regime.

The Egyptian-Saudi agreement stirred controversy and prompted thousands to take to the streets in rare protests on April 15 and April 25, amid a police campaign of mass arrests of activists opposed to the islands’ transfer. 

In June, the Administrative Court annulled the agreement, affirming that the islands fall within Egypt’s borders. However, the State Lawsuit Authority, which represents the government, appealed against the ruling before the Supreme Administrative Court.

The State Lawsuits authority had appealed the verdict before the Supreme Administrative Court. The authority also challenged the annulment of the agreement before the Supreme Constitutional Court (SCC).

On Saturday, Egypt's Supreme Administrative Court accepted a request to recuse the panel reviewing the appeal.