Prime Minister Hazem al-Beblawy has decided to form a committee to review the pardons given by deposed President Mohamed Morsy for prisoners under his rule from 30 June 2012 to 3 July 2013.
Beblawy’s decision issued in the official gazette on Sunday came 18 days after the cabinet meeting on 21 November, when the committee formation decision was taken in response to the terrorist operations in Egypt, which could be performed by those who were pardoned.
According to the decision, Beblawy will head the committee with Defense Minister Abdel Fattah al-Sisi, Interior Minister Mohamed Ibrahim, Foreign Minister Nabil Fahmy,Justice Minister Adel Abdel Meguid, Interim Justice and National Reconciliation Minister Mohamed Amin al-Mahdi, Public Prosecutor Hesham Barakat and Intelligence Chief Major General Mohamed Farid al-Tohamy.
The committee has the right to require help of experts and specific authorities’ representatives. It will have technical secretariat at the Interim Justice Ministry that will be formed by a decision from the minister.
The committee will review pardons or eased sentences issued during the period from 30 June 2012 to 3 July 2013 and assess reasons of the pardons and whether it conforms to the national security considerations. After cabinet approval, cases which weren’t pardoned for actions committed in support of the revolution from 25 January 2011 until 30 June 2013 as well as cases at which pardon did not target the public interest or resulted in harming the local and foreign interests will be counted.
The committee will draft a report including the pardon cases, security approvals of the pardons and reasons for repealing each pardon. The report will then be submitted to president to take the necessary measures.
Judicial sources said approving or rejecting pardons will be based on criminal procedures and penal codes and others which specify conditions of pardons.
Morsy gave seven pardons to prisoners. Two of the decisions conform to constitution and laws, while the others were issued with names of 810 prisoners.
Edited translation from Al-Masry Al-Youm
