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Egypt has freed a prominent investigative journalist whose arrest was condemned by Amnesty International and the United Nations. Hossam Bahgat's release was confirmed by Gasser Abdel-Razek, the director of a rights groups founded by Mr Bahgat.

"He called me and said he's been released from the military intelligence building," Mr Abdel-Razek said. Mr Bahgat, 37, was arrested on Sunday, reportedly accused of publishing false information.

He was questioned in connection with an article about the trial of army officers convicted of plotting a coup. Amnesty International called the arrest "yet another nail in the coffin" of freedom of expression in Egypt.

Mr Bahgat, who founded the human rights group Egyptian Initiative for Personal Rights, has published a series of investigative reports in Mada Masr, an independent Egyptian newspaper and website.

Mada Masr said it was not clear whether Mr Bahgat still faced charges following his release. Tens of thousands of people are thought to have been jailed in a crackdown on Islamist supporters and dissent since the army overthrew President Mohammed Morsi in 2013.