Egypt released more than 3,000 prisoners, in a usual annual amnesty on the occasion of Eid al-Fitr.
The Egyptian Ministry of Interior said, on Thursday, that the Ministry’s Community Protection Sector examined the cases of inmates, both male and female, in correctional and rehabilitation centers across the country, to determine those deserving of pardon, in implementation of the decision of the President of the Republic, on the occasion of the celebration of Eid al-Fitr.
The official Middle East News Agency reported that the families of the released prisoners have expressed their “happiness at the change they saw in their children’s behavior” as a result of their presence in the rehabilitation centers, expressing gratitude for “giving them a new opportunity to engage within society.”
A number of human rights organizations say that Egyptian prisons suffer from overcrowding and weak health services.
In this regard, MP Tariq Radwan, head of the Human Rights Committee in the Egyptian House of Representatives, said: “The decision to pardon detainees confirm that the Egyptian state is seeking new policies towards human rights and the right of expression.”
In a statement, Radwan noted that the decision was a “positive step” towards a real and effective national dialogue, stressing that “the Egyptian state confirms its determination to provide an adequate atmosphere that meets the aspirations of the Egyptian people.”
Caption: Ambassador Moushira Khattab, President of the National Council for Human Rights, in a previous visit to the Correction and Rehabilitation Center of the Ministry of Interior (National Council for Human Rights)
