Cairo: Emir of Qatar Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani has issued a decree granting amnesty to a number of prisoners on the occasion of the National Day, the Qatari news agency QNA reported Thursday.
The agency did not say how many inmates have been pardoned.
The royal gesture comes as Qatar is preparing to celebrate on Saturday the anniversary of founding the state at the hands
of Sheikh Jassim bin Mohammed in 1878.
Qatar designated December 18 as a public holiday celebrating the National Day in line with a decree that Emir Tamim issued in 2007.
This year’s celebrations feature art exhibitions, theatrical performances, equestrian contests and camel riding. The royal court announced that Sunday will be an official holiday in the country as the National Day falls on Saturday which is a usual weekend.
