DUBAI (Al Arabiya)

Renowned Egyptian human rights activist and professor of sociology Dr. Saed Eddine Ibrahim, is returning to Egypt after 3 years of living in exile in the United States, his brother told Al Arabiya.net Tuesday.

Dr. Ibrahim, who holds both Egyptian and U.S Citizenship, is the founder of the Ibn Khaldun Center for Development Studies, a research and advocacy institute in Cairo, working with issues of democratization and political and social development.

His brother Ahmed El-Rizk Ibrahim, told Al Arabiya.net that Dr. Ibrahim will be visiting the research center as well as family members in Cairo.

According to his brother, the family is fearful that authorities will attempt to arrest the human rights activist upon his visit to Egypt.

Ibrahim was first arrested in 2000 along with 27 of his colleagues and tried before a state security court on several charges allegedly connected to their work.

He was originally sentenced to a seven year term that drew widespread international condemnation but was ultimately cleared of all charges and released in 2003.

In 2008, he was sentenced in absentia by an Egyptian court for 'defaming Egypt'.