Egypt’s President, Abdel Fattah al-Sisi has pardoned jailed Al Jazeera journalists, Mohamed Fahmy and Baher Mohamed, women activists, Sana Seif and Yara Sallam as well as 100 other prisoners.
Presidency spokesman, Alaa Youssef confirmed that the two Al-Jazeera journalists were among those that were pardoned group.
Fahmy, Mohamed and their Australian colleague, Peter Greste were sentenced in a retrial last month for broadcasting “false” news that harmed Egypt and aiding the outlawed Muslim Brotherhood. Fahmy and Mohamed were released from prison within hours of their presidential pardon being announced.
Greste was deported in February through a presidential decree and his name did not appear on the list of those pardoned. It is not clear whether the pardon will also apply to him.
The pardons came on the eve of the Muslim holidays of Eid-el-Kabir, when prisoner releases often take place in Muslim countries.
“This comes in the framework of President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi’s initiative to release a number of youth which he launched … in December,” local media quoted presidential sources as saying.
In a tweet, Fahmy confirmed the news, writing “AJ Staff is Free!”
Fahmy, who had abandoned his Egyptian citizenship to qualify for deportation, is expected to leave Egypt for Canada.
A spokesperson for the Canadian government said that Canada was pleased with the pardon and it would help arrange Fahmy’s departure from Egypt.
“I am so happy. Mohamed is so happy,” Fahmy’s wife Marwa Omran said.
She said following his release, her husband “wants to pursue getting his nationality back.” [myad]
