Egypt Pardons 54 Sinai Inmates Following Tribal Leaders’ Appeal

Egyptian President Abdel Fattah Al-Sisi has pardoned 54 inmates from the Sinai Peninsula, responding to requests from tribal leaders in the northern Sinai regions of Rafah and Sheikh Zuwied.

In a statement, the presidency highlighted the decision as a gesture of recognition for the historic role of the people of Sinai in combating terrorism and achieving development and stability.

Details about the prisoners or the nature of their sentences were not disclosed.

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Egypt Pardons 54 Sinai Inmates Following Tribal Leaders’ Appeal
Supporters of Egypt’s ousted President Mohammed Morsi, a Muslim Brotherhood leader, chant slogans against the Egyptian military during a trial in which they were charged with violence in Alexandria, Egypt, on March 29, 2014. Thousands of Muslim Brotherhood supporters have been jailed by the current government. A former prisoner tells NPR he saw some turn to ISIS in prison.

This move is part of a broader pattern of presidential pardons issued in recent years aimed at fostering national reconciliation. Thousands of inmates have been released under similar decrees during Al-Sisi’s tenure.

However, human rights organisations estimate that around 60,000 political prisoners remain detained in Egypt. Many are subjected to systematic torture, denial of medical care, asset freezes, travel bans, and inclusion on terror lists.

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