Egypt's Interior Ministry declares number of convicted prisoners who meet presidential pardon criteria

CAIRO – 27 April 2022: The committees formed by the Ministry of Interior's Societal Protection Sector examined the sentences prisoners are serving to determine those who are eligible for a presidential pardon so as their number turned out to be 3,273, as press statement indicated Wednesday.

The preparation of that list comes on the occasion of Sinai Liberation Day, which is April 25, and upon the directives of President Abdel Fatah al-Sisi who announced Tuesday the reactivation of the presidential pardon committee.

Presidential pardons are customary to national and religious occasions. According to article 155 of the constitution, the president is allowed to issue pardons only after a final ruling is issued.

However, the perpetrators of certain crimes are not eligible for pardon. These crimes comprise arms trafficking, terrorism, drug trafficking of more than 10 kilograms, “heroin” trade regardless of the quantity, and revenge killing.

Thousands of prisoners were released over the past years by presidential pardons.

The Ministry of Interior announced in October the launching of a new prison complex in Wadi Al Natroun, which substituted 12 prisons, constituting 25 percent of Egypt's prisons.

The ministry explained that the investment cost of shutting down those prisons exceeds the construction and equipment costs of the complex dubbed "The Reform and Rehabilitation Center of Wadi Al Natroun," and that was built in just 10 months.

The prisons closed are those of Cairo Appellate, Torra, Cairo Torra, Benha, Alexandria, Tanta, Mansoura, Shbein al-Kom, Zagazig, Old Damanhour,  Work Camp of Beheira, and Menya.

The complex houses projects of industrial, agricultural, cattle, pourtly, and fish production. Those projects would both accomplish self-sufficiency at the complex's prisons, and generate income to prisoners.

Hospitals, consisting of 16 dialysis units, 4 operating theaters, 300 beds, 28 intensive care beds, isolation room, scan and blood test laboratories, blood bank, four baby incubators, specialized clinics, and a pharmacy, have been introduced either, as well as cells suitable for disabled inmates. 

The ministry noted that prisoners, who go through a critical health condition, get transferred to regular public hospitals.

Further, to facilitate the transportation of defendants prosecuted in custody and convicts appealing their sentences, a court complex has been established at the center and is being managed by the Ministry of Justice.

The court complex comprises eight trial halls, having a total capacity of 800 individuals. There are also a mosque, a church, and an addiction treatment rehab.