Egypt has bowed to critics of its human rights
record by handing down pardons to two journalists for Al-Jazeera and a
string of activists jailed since the military coup two years ago.
A statement from the office of President Abdelfattah al-Sisi said that Mohamed Fahmy and Baher Mohamed were among 100 prisoners whose release was announced.
Pardons are regularly handed down in advance of the Eid al-Adha holiday
in the Muslim world, which starts on Thursday, but will be widely read
as part of President Sisi’s new quest for legitimacy in the West.
Earlier, France confirmed the sale of two Mistral warships to Egypt,
while Mr Sisi is also due to address the United Nations general assembly
next week. Difficult negotiations are under way for his forthcoming
visit to Britain, provisionally scheduled for November, where he is
expected to face protests by supporters of the Muslim Brotherhood,
several of whose leaders have sought exile here after the crackdown on the group led by Mr Sisi.
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