502 prisoners pardoned on occasion of Eid al-Fitr festivals

CAIRO – 23 June 2017: A total of 502 prisoners, including inmates who were serving time over breaching the protest law have been pardoned on the occasion of Eid al-Fitr festivals, per a presidential decree on Friday.

The pardoned inmates include 25 women, 175 youth who are below 30 years old, eight academic professors, three lawyers, and five engineers. The pardon also includes some prisoners who served three quarters of their terms.

On April 25, the Ministry of Interior released Tuesday 1,051 prisoners and conditionally released 67 others by a presidential pardon, on the occasion of celebrating the Sinai Liberation Day.

Pardoning prisoners is a constitutional right granted to the president and a tradition by the state that usually takes place during official holidays and feasts, on the condition their offences do not include violence or attacking public or police properties.