Egypt releases 3,747 prisoners for Eid al-Fitr

Egyptian President Abdel Fattah Sisi speaks during the Watan story conference in Cairo, Egypt on 17 January 2018 [Stringer/Apaimages]

Egypt on Friday announced the release of 3,747 prisoners to mark the occasion of the three-day Eid al-Fitr holiday, which began yesterday evening, says Anadolu Agency.

According to an Interior Ministry statement, the Egyptian prison service on Friday – upon instruction from President Abdel-Fattah al-Sisi – “has announced an amnesty for numerous convicts to mark the occasion of the of Eid al-Fitr”.

READ: Egypt MPs call on Sisi to release innocent jailed minors

Anadolu Agency has been unable to obtain a full list of individuals released in the holiday amnesty.

According to Egypt’s constitution, the president has the right – after conferring with his Council of Ministers – to pardon convicted individuals or commute their sentences.

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