Sisi orders new rights plan, pardons Alaa Abdel Fattah
Cairo — Egypt’s President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi has directed the government to prepare a new national human rights strategy and has granted a presidential pardon to prominent activist Alaa Abdel Fattah, according to separate reports by Daily News Egypt and the BBC. The moves, announced this week, come as Egypt signals the next phase of its rights policy following the 2021–2026 National Strategy for Human Rights.
Key developments
- Daily News Egypt reported that the president “directs government to prepare new human rights strategy,” indicating a fresh blueprint is being drawn up as the current five-year framework approaches its final year.
- The BBC reported that Egypt’s president “pardons prominent activist” Alaa Abdel Fattah, a leading figure from the 2011 uprising who has been one of the country’s most high-profile detainees.
New human rights strategy
Daily News Egypt said the presidency instructed the government to begin work on a new rights roadmap. While no detailed timeline was immediately disclosed, the directive suggests authorities are preparing a successor plan to the National Strategy for Human Rights launched in 2021 as a five-year program through 2026. That earlier strategy outlined goals across civil, political, economic, social and cultural rights, and was promoted by the government as a framework for institutional reforms and public engagement.
The new strategy is expected to build on those pillars, with coordination across ministries and state bodies in Cairo. Officials have previously highlighted areas such as legal modernization, prison conditions, pretrial detention procedures and expanded community dialogue as policy priorities under the national framework.
Pardon for Alaa Abdel Fattah
In a separate development, the BBC reported that President al-Sisi issued a presidential pardon for Alaa Abdel Fattah. The activist, a dual Egyptian-British national and veteran of Egypt’s 2011 pro-democracy movement, was serving a five-year sentence handed down in 2021 over charges related to spreading false news. His case drew sustained international attention, including during the COP27 climate summit in Sharm el-Sheikh in 2022.
Details on the scope and terms of the pardon, as well as the timing of any release procedures, were not immediately available. The BBC’s report noted Abdel Fattah’s prominence as a symbol of Egypt’s activist community and the high-profile advocacy around his case by rights groups and foreign governments.
Context and significance
Egypt’s rights record has been under close scrutiny from domestic and international observers. The government has in recent years highlighted the National Strategy for Human Rights and periodic presidential pardons as evidence of a reform track and a commitment to dialogue. Authorities have also pointed to the work of official committees and initiatives aimed at reintegration and legal reform.
Rights advocates, meanwhile, have continued to call for broader systemic changes and the resolution of high-profile cases. The reported pardon of Abdel Fattah, alongside the directive to craft a new human rights strategy, will be closely watched for signs of how policy may evolve as the current five-year plan nears its end.
What’s next
The government is expected to begin consultations on the contours of the new human rights strategy, with further announcements anticipated in the coming weeks. Observers will monitor whether the forthcoming plan introduces updated benchmarks, timelines and mechanisms for implementation and review.
For Abdel Fattah, attention will focus on formal steps following the presidential decree and any accompanying legal or administrative procedures. The developments mark a significant moment for Egypt’s human rights landscape, potentially setting the tone for the country’s next policy cycle.
Daily News Egypt first reported the directive on the strategy. The BBC reported the presidential pardon for Alaa Abdel Fattah.