Germany frees al-Jazeera reporter Ahmed Mansour

German prosecutors have confirmed that a reporter from the al-Jazeera network detained after an extradition request from Egypt has been freed.

Ahmed Mansour, who works for the network's Arabic-language service, was held on Saturday as he tried to board a flight from Berlin to Qatar.

A court in Egypt's capital Cairo sentenced him to 15 years in prison in absentia last year on torture charges.

Al-Jazeera says the accusations against Mr Mansour are absurd and false.
'Doubts'

"We welcome this decision by the German prosecutor," said the channel's spokesman Hareth Adlouni. He added that Mr Mansour had been released without charge.

One of his lawyers, Patrick Teubner, has said that there are no further legal matters pending against his client in Germany.

"I think that was absolutely the right decision,'' he told the AP news agency. "There was no other alternative."

Mr Mansour was released into a cheering crowd on Monday.

"Thanks to people around the world who supported me in the last days," he said, according to AFP.

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