Sisi pardons prisoners on anniversary of July 23 revolution

CAIRO – 23 July 2019: President Abdel Fatah al-Sisi pardoned a number of prisoners on the 67th anniversary of the July 23 revolution.

The decree did not specify the number of pardoned individuals. However, inmates who have been handed life imprisonment will be pardoned in case they have spent at least 15 years in prison, according to the decree.

Police will put people in this category under surveillance for 5 years after their release.

The decreealso pardons prisoners who have spent one third the duration of their sentence in case the time they spent in jail is not less than 4months.

However, people convicted with bribery, crimes undermining the state's security, human trafficking or explosives related crimes are excluded from the presidential pardon.

Earlier, the Prisons Sector at the Ministry of Interior freed 365 convicts who were granted a presidential pardon after serving part of their sentences. Of those, 175 were given conditional release.

Those were selected by a committee thatexaminesthe eligibility of prisoners forpardon and release. The selection of this batch was assumed upon presidential decree no. 269/20019 issued in the occasion of Eid el-Fitr two months ago.

Presidential pardons are customary to national and religious occasions. However, the perpetrators of certain crimes are not eligible for pardon. These crimes comprise arms trafficking, terrorism, drug trafficking of more than 10 kilograms, “heroin” trade regardless of the quantity, and revenge killing.

According to article 155 of the constitution, the president is allowed to issue pardons only after a final ruling is issued.