Egyptian President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi has granted pardons to two well-known human rights advocates, Patrick George Zaki and Mohammed el-Baker, according to reports from the state-run MENA news agency. Zaki, an Egyptian student pursuing postgraduate studies in Italy, was sentenced earlier this week to three years imprisonment for an opinion piece he penned in 2019 concerning alleged discrimination against Coptic Christians. El-Baker, a human rights lawyer, received a four-year sentence in 2021 on charges related to disseminating false information, misuse of social media, and association with a terrorist organization. His arrest occurred while attending the interrogation of fellow activist Alaa Abdel-Fattah.

The pardons have been met with international acclaim, particularly in Italy, where Zaki's case resonated strongly due to its similarity to the tragic death of Italian student Giulio Regeni in Cairo in 2016. Italian Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani expressed gratitude for el-Sisi's decision, highlighting the government's diplomatic efforts in securing Zaki's release. Italian opposition lawmakers also celebrated the news, with Federica Onori of the 5-Star Movement expressing relief and anticipation for Zaki's return to Italy.

Human rights organizations, while welcoming the pardons, emphasized that neither Zaki nor el-Baker should have faced imprisonment for their human rights work. Hossam Bahgat, executive director of the Egyptian Initiative for Personal Rights, called for the release of thousands more detained in Egypt on political grounds. Amnesty International's Riccardo Noury acknowledged the positive development in Zaki's case but stressed the need for continued focus on human rights issues in Egypt.

Zaki's arrest in 2020 upon returning to Cairo from Italy sparked international concern. Although released from pretrial detention in 2021, he remained subject to travel restrictions within Egypt. He recently completed his master's degree in Italy via videoconference due to these restrictions. El-Baker's arrest in 2019 further highlighted the Egyptian government's crackdown on dissent.

The pardons come amidst international scrutiny of Egypt's human rights record, particularly following its hosting of the U.N. climate change summit in November. While the government has released numerous detainees in recent months, human rights groups estimate that thousands of political prisoners remain incarcerated, often without trial.

Protesters demonstrate in support of Patrick Zaki by the Piazza del Nettuno, in Bologna, Italy, on July 18, 2023. (Guido Calamosca/LaPresse via AP)