President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi Grants Amnesty to Activist Ahmed Douma and Others Following Public Demand

President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi of Egypt has issued a presidential decree granting amnesty to several individuals who were previously convicted with final judgments. Among those granted amnesty is the prominent activist Ahmed Douma. This decision falls within the constitutional powers of the president.

Douma During one of his trial sessions Image Source: Sky News

Tarek El Awady a lawyer and member of the Presidential Pardon Committee announced the release of 30 detained individuals in accordance with the established rules of the committee’s work. Local Egyptian sources published the names of those released under the presidential amnesty, including the well-known political activist Ahmed Saad Douma.

This amnesty comes after Douma spent 10 years in prison, serving a final sentence of 15 years of rigorous imprisonment in a case widely known as the “Cabinet Clashes” that dates back to 2011 during the aftermath of the January 25th revolution.

The decision to release Ahmed Douma is a response to the demands put forward by various political and party forces in recent times. These demands called for the release of the prominent political activist based on various considerations, including his health condition. The decision also comes in sync with the ongoing national dialogue in Egypt, which involves the participation of different political and party forces. The initial recommendations of the national dialogue have started to emerge.