Cairo, 28/8/2008

On the 39^th anniversary of the September revolution,

Libyan authorities release 128 Egyptians

On the anniversary of the 1^st September revolution the Libyan authorities have released 128 Egyptians imprisoned in Libyan prisons. The Libyan authorities release and pardon a number of prisoners, both Libyan and other nationalities each year on the occasion of the revolution.

Thirty Egyptian prisoners were released at the beginning of this year pursuant to the decision of the Revolutionary Command Council to release 772 Libyans, Arabs and foreigners convicted of various criminal crimes and who had served half their sentences.

On the occasion of the anniversary of the revolution, the Arab Center for the Independence of the Judiciary and the Legal Profession (ACIJLP) has sent a letter to the Libyan prosecutor general and head of the Libyan judicial police body urging the release of Egyptians sentenced to death or life imprisonment and who are currently imprisoned in Libya prisons. 

In its letter, ACIJLP mentioned eight Egyptians who had engaged in reconciliation measures with according to the Libyan Reconcilation and Deyya Law. They are, Abdel Halim El-Sayyed Abdel Halim Moussa, Hussein El-Sayyed Darwish, Farahat Abdo Farahat, Samy Fathy Abd Rabbo, Adel Abdel Azim Omar Mohamed El-Gazawy, Mohamed Omar Ibrahim Abd Rabbo El-Gazawy, Ihab Magdy Meshraqy Rafael and Fadl Ismail Hateeta. Release orders for these men is in line with the Libyan judicial verdicts and legislation applicable in this matter.

ACIJLP also pointed out that pardons for those condemned to death is in line with the Libyan president’s directives on the abolishment of the death penalty and its replacement with alternative punishments.