Egypt: Pardon decree ‘too little, too late

Mursi’s pardon decree ‘too little, too late’
9 October, 2012 – Al Akhbar

Egyptian President Mohammed Mursi on Monday issued a decree to pardon all prisoners detained during last year’s uprising that toppled former president Hosni Mubarak.

The amnesty covers citizens facing trial and those serving jail sentences except for those convicted of murder, a presidential spokesman said.

But human rights lawyers say the wording of the decree is vague and open to interpretation, and that it may take months before any prisoners are released.

The decree asks the prosecutor general and the military prosecutor to prepare a list of names, within a month of the decree’s issuance, of those who may benefit from the pardon.

“It is a great step, but not enough,” said Ahmed Seif, a member of the committee formed by Mursi to review cases of those tried following the uprising. He said he had advised Mursi to specify who would benefit from the pardon.

“Now, there will be differences over how to implement the pardon, and a debate,” Seif said.

Thousands of civilians ended up in army courts in the security vacuum that followed the fall of Mubarak in 2011. The campaign group No to Military Trials had said at least 5,000 political prisoners were still in jail.

Many of those jailed were arrested in the protests that erupted during the 18 months an interim military government was in charge in Egypt under the leadership of Field Marshal Hussein Tantawi.

Some prisoners have even been tried since Mursi took office in June.

Mohammed Gadallah, Mursi’s legal advisor, said the decree is “one of the revolution’s most important victories.”

“It shows the revolution is now in power and guides the decision-making,” Gadallah told The Associated Press. “This is a legislation that protects the revolutionaries.”

Gadallah said the decree is likely to cover all major court cases where protesters clashed with military troops and security forces. However, he admitted it is not clear how many would benefit from the pardon.

Protesters currently on trial face charges ranging from resisting authorities, damaging public or private property or disrupting public order.

More than a 12,000 civilians have been brought before military tribunals, many of them on charges such as “thuggery.”

It will be up to the prosecutor general and the military prosecutor to name those who will be pardoned. Suspects who are excluded can challenge the decision, and a judicial panel would be the final arbiter.

Seif said it could take months before pardons actually materialize. …more