Egyptian President Sisi Grants Pardon to Arab Spring Activist Ahmed Douma

Egyptian President Abdel Fatah El-Sisi has pardoned prominent Arab Spring activist Ahmed Douma and over 30 other political prisoners, as part of efforts to improve Egypt's human rights record and secure international funding. Douma, who led protests during the 2011 revolution, had spent nearly a decade behind bars and was subjected to torture and solitary confinement. The pardons come after the release of two other famous political prisoners last month and are seen as a response to international criticism. However, human rights groups estimate that tens of thousands of people, including journalists and activists, remain imprisoned on political grounds in Egypt.