The Ministry of Interior's prisons department released on Saturday a total of 645 prisoners, according to state-run outlet Egy News. On a regular basis, the department held committees to examine the files of prison inmates across the nation to determine the most suitable cases deserving pardons. Among the total number of pardons, 512 prisoners will be conditionally released, while the rest are being released under other terms. This comes within the framework of the Ministry of Interior's keenness to uphold the values of human rights and the application of penal policy in a modern approach, and to provide various aspects of care for inmates, especially in communicating with their families. The ministry grants pardons to prisoners on a regular basis, usually coinciding with major religious and national occasions. According to the constitution, the president has the right to issue pardons for convicted prisoners after consulting with the cabinet. In January, the ministry released about 477 prisoners on the occasion of National Police Day and the anniversary of the 25 January revolution. In October 2017, Minister of Interior Magdy Abdel Ghaffar granted prisoners an exceptional visit in celebration of the anniversary of the October War of 1973.
