Aya Hijazi and her Egyptian husband Mohamed Hassanein flew back to the U.S. on April 20, 2017. Aya and her husband were arrested in May 2014, under the allegations that they sexually abused children in Cairo, where they founded an organisation to help homeless children. Human rights groups argued endlessly that the claims were false. Aya and Mohamed’s detention exceeded the Egyptian legal limit of 2 years, and during the time they were also not allowed to see any lawyers. There was never any proof for the Egyptian government’s claims and their trial was delayed multiple times.
“A government forensic report provided by Hijazi’s lawyer concluded there were no signs of sexual abuse when the children would’ve been at the shelter,” NPR’s Leila Fadel reported in 2015.
The Obama administration tried to get them released last year but failed because of unstable relations with Egypt. Ultimately it was the Trump administration that got them released, mostly because of President Trump’s good relationship the Egyptian Dictator President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi. Sean Spicer said that Trump “privately pushed” for Aya’s release.
“I just want to let everybody know in case there was any doubt that we are very much behind President Sisi…He’s done a fantastic job in a very difficult situation.” Trump said about the Egyptian president.
A senior official said that “assurance from the highest levels [of Sissi’s government] that whatever the verdict was, Egypt would use presidential authority to send her home.”
Trump met with the couple at the White House on Friday morning. “We are very happy to have Aya back,” Trump said after the meeting.
