620 inmates released per presidential pardon

CAIRO – 28 February 2019: A new group of pardoned inmates were released on Thursday, Feb. 28, according to a statement from the Egyptian Ministry of Interior.

A total of 620 inmates out of 6,925 prisoners and detained debtors were released on Thursday as per a presidential pardon issued on the eighth anniversary of January 25 Revolution.

On February 14, 2019, a group of 585 prisoners and detained debtors were granted their freedom on January 25, 2019.

Egyptians celebrated the eighth anniversary of the uprising that ended the 30-year rule of former President Hosni Mubarak. The uprising was staged on the Egyptian Police Day on January 25, 2011 to protest against the ministry’s crackdown on civilians during Mubarak’s era.

According to the constitution, the president has the right to issue pardons for convicted prisoners after consulting with the Cabinet.

On July 23, 2018, some 2,391 prisoners have been released, while a total of 405 prisoners were released on June 21 as per presidential pardons. Other inmates were granted a conditional release.

On June 15, 2018, 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).