Egyptian President Abdel-Fattah El-Sisi has instructed taking the necessary legal measures to grant a presidential pardon to 600 individuals convicted in various cases, Extra News reported on Thursday. The decision considers the prisoners' humanitarian circumstances, though further details were not provided.

Presidential pardons are typically issued on religious or national occasions. Since the initiation of the National Dialogue and the reactivation of the Presidential Pardon Committee in April 2022, President El-Sisi has granted numerous pardons, leading to the release of many prominent figures and human rights defenders.

In addition, the Public Prosecution has released hundreds of political activists who were in pretrial detention.

The pardon committee, first formed in 2016, receives names of prisoners considered for pardon through various channels, including the National Council for Human Rights (NCHR), the parliament’s Human Rights Committee, and via its official website. The reactivated committee’s scope has recently been expanded to include imprisoned debtors.

The national dialogue is also preparing to discuss proposals for amendments to the Code of Criminal Procedures, including reducing the maximum duration of pretrial detention.