Egypt releases 859 prisoners following presidential pardon

Some 859 prisoners were released from Egyptian jails after a presidential amnesty was issued on the anniversary of Sinai Liberation Day, the interior ministry revealed yesterday.

No details were given about whether the prisoners had been held on criminal or political charges.

The ministry said in a statement, “The release comes in implementation of the resolution of President Abdel Fatah Al-Sisi regarding the amnesty for the rest of the sentence for some convicts, on the occasion of the celebration of Sinai Liberation Day on 25 April for the year 2016.”

The statement pointed out that “the committee, which was held to examine the files of prisoners to select those who deserved to be released, concluded that 859 detainees merited release by the amnesty for Sinai Liberation Day.”

Al-Sisi issued a similar decision on 17 June 2015, 165 youths were pardoned following that decree.