Sabbahi vows to scrap Protest Law, pardon political prisoners

Presidential hopeful Hamdeen Sabbahi vowed to annul the contentious Protest Law and pardon all political prisoners, in his first address on national television Saturday.

Sabbahi said that if elected as president, he would re-cast the law as a “regulatory measure that doesn’t prohibit one of the basic rights of peaceful expression, which is peaceful protest.”

He also promised to free all political prisoners, adding that prison is a place for “terrorists and criminals, not for those with opinions.”

Sabbahi said he would work on maintaining the role of the military in protecting Egypt from foreign threats and terrorism when necessary, adding that we shouldn’t overload the burden and involve the Armed Forces in politics and electoral wars.

The presidential candidate asked for Egyptians’ trust in moving on: “We have crowned Egypt’s history with the January 25 revolution and continued with the June 30 revolution … I don’t come forth with anything other than what you asked; a nation of social justice, human dignity and independence.”

“We ousted two heads and haven’t yet earned what we deserved,” Sabbahi said, adding that Egypt needs “radical change” to it’s institutions, in order to build a “corruption-free country” that is accountable for its mistakes. He promised to work on achieving social justice, and ensuring “an equal distribution of wealth.”

“The war that unites us should be a war against poverty,” Sabbahi said, vowing to build a “state of law” for all citizens, whether rich or poor, with the regime or against it.

Sabbahi’s program pledges include achieving justice for the revolution’s martyrs and injured, and building a society free of terrorism.

“We can’t achieve social justice and democracy with terrorism haunting the Egyptian people, military and police,” he said.

He also said he would restore Egypt’s role and position internationally, and establish a “regional organization” that brings together the Nile Basin countries, as he said there is “no room for animosity” in such relationships.

“I don’t ask for power,” Sabbahi concluded, “I am bearing my responsibility.”