Egypt’s President Abdel Fattah Al-Sisi issued a decision to pardon a number of prisoners ahead of the Islamic Eid Al-Fitr and Sinai Liberation Day, according to the official gazette.
The decision included forming a higher committee from the relevant security authorities headed by the Assistant Minister of Interior for the Prisons Authority Sector to decide who deserves a pardon.
Presidential pardons are customary during national and religious occasions. According to article 155 of the Egyptian constitution, the president is allowed to issue pardons only after a final ruling is issued.
However, the perpetrators of certain crimes are not eligible for pardon. These crimes include arms trafficking, terrorism, drug trafficking of more than 10 kilograms, trafficking and trading in heroin regardless of the quantity, and revenge killing.
Last January, Al-Sisi issued a presidential decree to pardon 2,337 prisoners in celebration of the 70th annual Police Day and the 25th of January Revolution.
Thousands of prisoners have been pardoned and released over the past years.
