In a statement from the Saudi Embassy in Cairo on Wednesday Ambassador to Egypt and Saudi delegate to the Arab League Ahmed Qattan has announced the royal pardon of 82 Egyptian prisoners detained in Saudi prisons. Royal pardons during Ramadan are customary and Qattan had previously stated that King Abdallah would issue them this year, although the number of prisoners had not been disclosed.
The names of the pardoned prisoners have not yet been released, but Egyptian lawyer Ahmed Al-Gizawy is not expected to be included, as pardons cannot be issued to detainees still on trial. His trial is set to resume 5 September
