EGYPT PREZ PARDONS 572 CIVILIANS

Marking the beginning of the holy month of Ramadhan on July 20, Egypt’s newly elected President Mohamed Morsi on July 19 issued a pardon of 572 civilians sentenced in military tribunals, tackling a major demand of pro-democracy activists. But the pardon only affects a fraction of the thousands of civilians who have been tried and sentenced by military tribunals since a council of generals took over following Hosni Mubarak’s ouster in February 2011. Activists say over 11,000 were tried in military tribunals. A spokesman for a committee investigating the issue said more than 2,100 remain in prisons.