Parliament's Suggestions and Complaints Committee has rejected a draft law that would pardon members of the armed forces who joined the 25 January revolutionaries during the 18-day uprising that ousted former President Mubarak.
Several military officers who supported the revolution are currently in military prison serving varying sentences for leaving their stations.
The committee asked that MP Hamdy al-Fakharany, who submitted the law, replace it with a “proposal” to be discussed with MPs.
Haitham al-Baqly, a member of the Justice Ministry's legislative sector, said the draft law Fakharany submitted cannot be accepted as a comprehensive amnesty law because it specifies the names of officers for which it requests pardoning.
He added that comprehensive amnesty excludes crimes related to national security and violations of the Islamic Sharia.
Ahmed Ali Shouman, an army major, joined Tahrir protesters on 10 February. He turned in his weapon and appeared on Al Jazeera news channel verbally attacking Mubarak and Tantawi, accusing the latter of being a part of the corrupt regime.
Major Shouman was summoned for investigations and remains in detention.
Several other army officers who were arrested in Tahrir Square on 9 April were sentenced to ten years in prison. Their families say they were promised by the Supreme Council of the Armed Forces that the officers would be pardoned but are still waiting for their release.
