File Photo Egyptian prisoners pardoned in Sinai Liberation day in April 2018 (Photo: Al-Ahram)
On the first day of the Eid Al-Fitr holiday, Egypt’s prison authority said it has released 3,477 prisoners in accordance with a presidential pardon, including 690 who were imprisoned for failing to pay debts, according to a statement by the interior ministry.
The releases are in accordance with presidential decree number 260/2018, which was signed recently by President Abdel-Fattah El-Sisi.
Article 155 of the Egyptian constitution stipulates that the president has the power to issue a pardon or mitigate a final sentence after consulting with the cabinet.
President El-Sisi has issued four previous pardons for youth who were mostly imprisoned for violating the 2013 Protest Law. The first decree in November 2016 pardoned 82 prisoners, the second in March 2017 pardoned 203 prisoners, the third was in May with 332 prisoners, the fourth was in June 2018 with 712 prisoners.
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