244 prisoners regain their freedom upon presidential pardon

CAIRO – 10 January 2018: 244 Egyptian prisoners regained their freedom on Wednesday after receiving a pardon earlier by a presidential decree on the occasion of the 6th of October victory anniversary.

The prisons service resumed holding committees to examine the issues of the rest of prisoners and to determine those who deserve pardon in order to be released before finishing their prison sentences. The committee work ended by issuing a list of 67 prisoners who deserve the pardon.

The presidential pardon committee also began examining the cases of those entitled to conditional release, ending with a release decision of 177 prisoners.

In October 2016, President Abdel Fatah al-Sisi announced forming a presidential pardon committee, headed by political thinker Osama al-Ghazaly Harb, for pardoning detainees with charges pending further investigation.

Following Sisi’s permission in the World Youth Conference (WYF), the committee announced preparing the fourth pardon list, according to the law.

MP Tarek al-Khouly, member of the presidential pardon committee, said on November 11 that they have been working fast to finish the list, in order to prove to the whole world that the outcome of the previously held youth conferences is being executed.

Khouly said that Sisi confirmed that those who are not proven to be members of terrorist organizations or committing acts that contradict constitutional presidential pardon standards would be on the list.

Concerning pardoned detainees of the earlier three lists, Khouly said that the committee will contact ministries and specialized foundations to execute plans qualifying them to regain their freedom.

MP Mohammed al-Ghoul, deputy of Parliament's Human Rights Committee, said that the committee receives pardon petitions from detainees’ families, and that they plan to send them after revision to the presidential committee.