New batch of 405 prisoners pardoned on occasion of Eid Al-Fitr

CAIRO – 21 June 2018: A total of 405 prisoners were released on Thursday per a presidential pardon, while 478 others were granted a conditional release.
On June 15, a total of 2,110 prisoners were released per the same presidential pardon that was issued on the occasion of Eid Al-Fitr (Religious feast marking the end of the Holy Month of Ramadan).



Prisoners released per presidential pardon on first day of Eid al-Fitr on June 15, 2018 - Hazim Abdel Samad/Egypt Today

The June 15 batch of released prisoners further included 690 debtors, as part of a presidential initiative, called “Prisons without Debtors”, that aims to release all debtors landing behind bars by paying off their debts.

“We will always strive to uphold the human dignity and implement the necessary measures to preserve social protection and reduce such phenomena that negatively affect social stability,” President Abdel Fatah al-Sisi said on his official Facebook account last week.



The decision to release the prisoners on occasion of Eid Al-Fitr was published in the Gazette last week.

In May, the Interior Ministry's prison department pardoned 447 prisoners on the occasion of Sinai Liberation Day.

The Interior Ministry said in a statement that the prison department also found that 473 inmates are qualified for release on parole. The Egyptian government frequently pardons prisoners during national celebrations.

Also in May, President Sisi pardoned About 332 prisoners. The pardon list included youths and prisoners with health problems.

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

In November 2016, Sisi declared the first presidential pardon list, pardoning 82 detainees, including TV presenter and religious thinker Islam al-Behery, who was charged with “contempt of Islam”.

A second pardon list was declared in March 2017, pardoning 203 detainees. The list included five journalists, according to Masrawy news outlet. In June 2017, Sisi announced pardoning 502 detainees.

On the anniversary of October 6 War, 244 Egyptian prisoners regained their freedom after receiving a pardon by a presidential decree.

Additional report with MENA