In a significant decision, Egypt's President Abdul Fattah al-Sisi has pardoned 43-year-old Alaa Abd El-Fattah, a British-Egyptian activist who had been imprisoned for six years, as reported by state media. This move follows a request from the National Council for Human Rights and was confirmed by Abd El-Fattah's lawyer, who expressed gratitude on social media. As one of Egypt's most prominent political prisoners, Abd El-Fattah had been a vocal advocate for democracy and human rights. He was initially arrested in 2019 after completing a prior five-year sentence and was convicted in 2021 for 'spreading false news' after posting about torture in the country. Notably, he had been scheduled for release in September 2024, but his earlier time in pre-trial detention was not counted towards his sentence, leading to protests and hunger strikes by both him and his mother. His release represents a milestone for human rights in Egypt amidst ongoing international scrutiny.