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Ex-Egypt lawmaker calls for releasing pretrial detainees 

January 10, 2022 at 9:12 am

Inmates are seen inside an Egyptian prison on 19 November 2019 [MOHAMED EL-SHAHED/AFP/Images]

The head of the International Dialogue Group, Mohamed Anwar Al-Sadat, yesterday announced that he was reviewing cases of Egyptian prisoners held in pretrial detention, in preparation for their release in the coming days.

In an official statement, Al-Sadat said that the move had come within the “framework of activating the country’s national strategy for human rights,” describing the step as a “breakthrough in Egypt’s human rights’ file.”

“I’m very optimistic about 2022 for those who are serving pre-trial detention and have not had a sentence laid down against them,” he said.

Sadat, a former parliamentarian, has become a link between the Egyptian regime and rights advocates in recent months.

In an attempt to improve the country’s human rights policies, President Abdel Fattah Al-Sisi recently launched the “National Human Rights Strategy” and declared 2022 as the “Year of Civil Society.” His steps came following international accusations that Egypt is “suppressing the opposition and human rights defenders.”

Rights groups have said that there are about 120,000 pretrial detainees in Egypt. The regime denies the accusations.

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