The Doctors Syndicate called on the Morsy administration Thursday to immediately release Armed Forces doctor Amr Metwally, who was sentenced to five years in prison for participating in a protest against military rule in Tahrir Square last November.

The syndicate's freedoms committee formed a delegation to visit Metwally's family and discuss ways to press for Metwally’s release, stressing that he has not violated a military order for his detention.

“We call on President Mohamed Morsy to interfere for the immediate release of Metwally, especially as he has a good reputation and is known for his good behavior,” said rapporteur of the freedoms committee Abdallah al-Kariony.

Metwally joined the Military Academy in 2009. He is a doctor captain and was assigned by the Armed Forces to work in its field hospital at the Shura Council, Kariony said.

The military intelligence arrested Metwally when he was in Tahrir Square with protesters outside of his official working hours.

Kariony said the Doctors Syndicate rejected Metwally’s five-year sentence, describing it as “cruel.”

“The detained doctor has not violated military orders. He announced solidarity with the revolution and its objectives after the military council, his leaders, announced the same thing,” he added.

A military tribunal on 4 April sentenced Metwally to five years in prison for joining protesters who were calling for a swift handover of power to civilians in Cairo last November.

The court charged the officer with abandoning military orders and refusing to be summoned to his unit. He was also charged with discussing politics and appearing on satellite channels without obtaining permission.

He was further charged with wearing the camouflage military uniform outside his military unit, being absent from his unit from 28 November until 8 December, and joining protesters.

News reports said Metwally issued a statement on 24 November on behalf of the officers in Tahrir in which he called for the dismissal of the Supreme Council of the Armed Forces and for their trial “for humiliating the military institution and killing protesters.” He also called for handing over power to a civilian presidential council.

Edited translation from Al-Masry Al-Youm