Rights advocate says Egypt's army releases investigative journalist held for questioning

This Dec. 7, 2011 photo, shows Hossam Bahgat in his office at the Egyptian Initiative for Personal Rights in Garden City, Cairo, Egypt. Lawyers for Bahgat, a leading Egyptian investigative journalist and human rights advocate said Monday, Nov. 9, 2015 that the Egyptian military is holding him in an undisclosed location while he faces charges of spreading “false news.” Bahgat was detained Sunday after being summoned to an intelligence building in Cairo. (AP Sarah Rafea via AP) MANDATORY CREDIT (The Associated Press)

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Leading investigative journalist and human rights advocate, Hossam Bahgat is greeted by colleagues and friends in his office at the Egyptian Initiative for Personal Rights in Garden City, Cairo, Egypt, Tuesday, Nov. 10, 2015. Egypt's military released Bahgat on Tuesday who had been detained under accusations of spreading "false news." (AP Photo/Nariman El-Mofty) (The Associated Press)

Hossam Bahgat, center right, celebrates his release with friends, colleagues and journalists at the office of the Egyptian Initiative for Personal Right, a human rights organization he founded in 2002, in Cairo, Egypt, Tuesday, Nov. 10, 2015. Egypt's military released Bahgat, a leading investigative journalist and human rights advocate, who had been detained under accusations of spreading "false news." No further information was available over whether charges still stand against Bahgat in the immediate moments after his release. (AP Photo/Ibrahim Ezzat) (The Associated Press)

CAIRO – A human rights advocate says Egyptian authorities have released a leading investigative journalist and human rights advocate who had been detained under accusations of spreading "false news."

Heba Morayef, associate director of the Egyptian Initiative for Personal Rights, announced on social media Tuesday the release of Hossam Bahgat, who was detained Sunday after being summoned to an intelligence building in Cairo.

Bahgat is one of Egypt's best-known rights advocates. He founded the group Morayef now works for in 2002, and has been honored with a Human Rights Watch Alison Des Forges Award in 2011.

No further information was available in the immediate moments after Bahgat's release.

The army has said that Bahgat was referred to military trial for "compromising national security" and writing about the military without its written permission.