Egypt's Al-sisi Pardons 100 Prisoners, Including Al-Jazeera Journalists

Egypt’s President Abdel Fattah Al-Sisi pardoned 100 prisoners including three Al Jazeera Television journalists on Wednesday, a day before he plans to head to the annual United Nations summit of world leaders. Canadian Mohamed Fahmy, Egyptian Baher Mohamed and Australian Peter Greste were sentenced to three years in prison in a retrial last month for operating without a press license and broadcasting material harmful to Egypt.
Greste had already been deported in February. A spokesperson for the Canadian government said that Canada was pleased with the pardon and it would help arrange Fahmy’s departure from Egypt. The pardons were reported by security sources and Egypt’s state news agency, which said they included prisoners who violated a 2013 law banning protests without a permit, as well as some who were sick. Human rights groups have accused Egyptian authorities of widespread violations since the army toppled the country’s first democratically Elected President, President Mohamed Mursi, after mass protests against his rule two years ago.