‘I wish I could say I am happy’ says Egyptian activist Ahmed Douma after release

Egypt President Abdel Fattah El Sisi’s pardon of a prominent activist who spent 10 years in prison was welcomed as the latest attempt to heal the wounds of a sweeping crackdown that began at the time of his arrest.

Campaigner Ahmed Douma, 37, was a leading figure of the 2011 uprising that toppled autocratic ruler Hosni Mubarak after nearly 30 years in power.

But while some see the high-profile pardon as a goodwill gesture, others pointed out that arrests have continued in the 16 months since the Egyptian leader first ordered the release of…