Cairo: Egyptian President Abdul Fattah Al Sissi Thursday pardoned 82 detainees, the first group of young people to be released from prison, the country’s official Middle east News Agency (mena) reported.
The pardoned prisoners are mostly university students, the agency added without specifying their cases.
They are believed to be among dozens of young people who have been jailed for violating a controversial law that bans street protests without prior police approval.
The pardoned inmates also included prominent Islamic researcher Islam Al Beheiri who was handed down a one–year jail sentence last year on charges of blasphemy.
The agency said that Al Sissi’s pardon was based on article No 155 of the Egyptian constitution that gives the head of the state the right to pardon prisoners who have received final sentences.
The presidential gesture comes in response to repeated calls to Al Sissi to pardon youth detained over unauthorised street protests.
Last month, Al Sissi ordered the formation of a non-governmental committee to look into cases of detainees who would qualify for presidential clemency.
The panel has said that Muslim Brotherhood members and followers will be excluded from the pardon.
In late 2013, Egypt started enforcing the anti-protest law amid an outcry from the opposition and rights groups.
The government said the law was necessary to end violent protests staged by the now-outlawed Muslim Brotherhood after the army, led at the time by Al Sissi, deposed president Mohammad Mursi.
Rights advocates said the law was aimed at muzzling dissent.
Al Sissi became Egypt’s president in mid-2014 following a landslide election win.
