(AFP File Photo)
The Ministry of Interior announced in a press statement on Thursday that it would release 584 prisoners ‘in celebration’ of Police Day and the fourth anniversary of the 25 January Revolution.
The statement added that this decision comes in light of presidential decree number 18 in the year 2015, which orders the release of some prisoners in celebration of both Police Day and the fourth anniversary of 25 January.
The statement did not make clear whether those are to be released are criminal convicts or political prisoners.
On Tuesday, the Ministry of Interior celebrated Police Day in the Police Academy in News Cairo. President Abdel Fattah Al-Sisi, Minister of Interior Mohamed Ibrahim, the Grand Imam of Al-Azhar Ahmed Al-Tayeb, Prime Minister Ibrahim Mehleb, Defence Minister Colonel General Sedki Sobhi, as well as a number of other state officials and businessmen attended the celebrations.
Four years ago, on 25 January 2011, protesters in Egypt took to the streets in demonstrations against the regime of former president Hosni Mubarak. Thousands of protesters have been killed in confrontations with police forces since then.
