Prominent rights lawyer Khaled Ali, who recently declared his intention to run in the 2018 Egyptian presidential election, announced on Wednesday that he has withdrawn from the race. On Tuesday, Ali told Egypt Independent that he and his campaign staff were in discussion regarding their stance on his presidential bid, following election developments. In a dramatic televised statement, the General Command of the Armed Forces then announced Anan will be investigated for the charges. The statement said Anan did not have permission from the armed forces to run for the presidency, and that he was still subject for an army recall, making his presidential bid a violation of army rules. Meanwhile, the official Facebook page of Anan’s campaign said that campaign activities have been suspended following the army’s statement.

Source: Egypt Independent January 24, 2018 17:37 UTC