Enraged demonstrators have staged a protest rally outside Saudi Arabia's Embassy in Cairo to condemn the recent arrest of a prominent Egyptian rights lawyer and activist.
Rights activists, lawyers as well as students from the University of Cairo and families of imprisoned Egyptians in Saudi Arabia joined the rally outside the Saudi Embassy on Tuesday.
The demonstrators chanted slogans against the Saudi king and called for the immediate release of Ahmed Mohammed al-Gizawi.
Gizawi was arrested by Saudi security forces on April 17 upon arrival in the Saudi city of Jeddah. The lawyer's detention came without any prior notification and at a time he was in Saudi Arabia for Hajj pilgrimage.
On Monday, Egypt's Arabic Network for Human Rights Information issued a statement, saying Gizawi's detention followed a sentence of one year in prison and 20 lashes delivered against him in absentia for criticism of the Saudi rulers.
Gizawi is being targeted for his activism in favor of Egyptian detainees in Saudi prisons, the statement added.
On Monday, the Egyptian Foreign Ministry also criticized Saudi officials for the activist's arrest and asked Riyadh to explain the move.
The protests come as Saudi Arabia has been faced with a continued wave of anti-regime protests at home, especially in its Eastern Province, with the protesters calling for political reform.
Anti-government protests intensified last November, after security forces opened fire on protesters in the city of Qatif, killing five people and leaving many more injured.
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