Parl't Human Rights Committee discusses ex-inmates stigma

CAIRO – 22 June 2019: The Egyptian Parliament Human Rights Committee has announced holding a set of meetings during the coming period to discuss social hardships and stigma of ex-inmates.

The committee explained in a Saturday statement that ex-convicts suffer a social stigma that often prevents them from getting proper job opportunities that guarantee stable and secured life for them and their families.

Former prisoners usually struggle with social stigma after being released from jail, as the majority of job owners fear the risk hiring an ex-criminal, lest this affects their business.

Egypt’s government releases prisoners on different occasions per presidential decrees.

Last June, Egypt’s Prisons Department announced releasing 2,002 prisoners on the first day of Eid al-Fitr per a presidential decree, including a number of female debtors, widely known in Arabic as ‘Gharimat’.

Head of the Prison Sector, Major General Zakaria al-Ghamrai, said during a celebration on the occasion of releasing the prisoners that 139 men and 13 women were released after paying their debts from the ‘Tayhya Masr’ (Long Live Egypt) Fund.

On May 31, the department released 266 prisoners on parole, while 85 others were released as per a presidential pardon, the Ministry of Interior said in a statement.

The decision of release on the occasion of Sinai Liberation Day Egypt celebrates annually on April 25.

On the same occasion, a total 170 of inmates as per a presidential pardon, while the rest of 306 prisoners on May 9.

Moreover, the Ministry released 518 inmates on parole, while 67 others were granted the presidential pardon on April 30.

According to the constitution, the president has the right to issue pardons for convicted prisoners after consulting with the Cabinet.