A quick update on the situation facing Egyptian atheist blogger Alber Saber, who was convicted of blasphemy and sentenced to three years in prison last week.

Daily News Egypt reports that Alber was released on bail yesterday, set at 1,000 Egyptian pounds (about $162). The troubling part (and everything about this case is troubling) is that this bail was paid a week ago, and yet the court kept Alber locked up in jail for no apparent reason. His lawyers are not happy about this.

Alber’s defense team will appeal his conviction, with a date set for January 26th, 2013.

Daily News Egypt also notes that these kinds of charges about offending religious feelings have been on the rise under the presidency of Mohamed Morsi.



