A report, published in Egypt’s state-run al-Gomhouria newspaper, reveals that the ‘ill and elderly’ prisoners, over the age of 60, might possibly be pardoned earlier.

According to several media reports, some of the Egyptian prisoners with chronic diseases might be pardoned on grounds of their health conditions.

Many activists worry that if such law takes effect it could serve as an excuse to release former dictator Hosni Mubarak and his aides who are all over 60 and are currently suffering from various physical and psychological ailments.

According to Mohamed Zare, the human rights lawyer and the head of the Arab Organization for Penal Reform and former head of the Human Rights Association for the Assistance of Prisoners, “release of Mubarak and his aides is considered as crossing the red lines.”

“Some of them are still being tried, their health is stable and they receive very good medical care,” Zare said, adding, “Everything in this country happens based on the president’s orders. I don’t think that the President [Mohamed Morsi] wants to release them.”

Meanwhile, sources in Egypt’s prison authority denied the reports about the possible release of the ousted president and the members of his regime, saying that the new general pardon would only be applied to prisoners who have already served 20 years of their lifetime sentence.

DA/MY/HN

Source: PressTV

NOTE BY THE EDITOR: It is a good humanitarian gesture, and at the same time saves money for the state …