President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi granted presidential pardons to rights attorney Mohamed El-Baqer and researcher Patrick George Zaki, among others, on 19 July, announced the Presidential Pardon Committee according to Ahram Online. The news comes just one day after it was announced that Zaki was sentenced to three years in prison under the accusations of spreading false news. News of his arrest sparked a social media outcry, leading Italy’s Prime Minister to assure citizens that the Italian government will find a positive solution to Zaki’s case. In 2019, Zaki was found guilty of spreading false information in an essay he published, which was seen by authorities as an effort to undermine social and political security. He was seized and held for 22 months in custody after getting arrested at Cairo International Airport following his return from studying in Italy in February 2020. On 8 December 2021, Mansoura II State Security Misdemeanours (Emergency) Court released the researcher, but he was unable to travel because the allegations were not dropped. The release of political prisoners has been on Egypt’s National Dialogue agenda, which have made repeated calls for resolving the issue. Zaki is…
