Update: President Al-Sisi pardons two of three Al Jazeera English journalists

Update to August 31 post on the prospect of a presidential pardon of the three Al Jazeera English journalists:

On Wednesday, September 23, on the first day of Eid Al-Adha, a presidential spokesman announced that President Al-Sisi has issued a decree pardoning two of the three Al Jazeera English journalists re-convicted last month and sentenced to three years of imprisonment. Those pardoned were Canadian (formerly Egyptian-Canadian) Mohamed Fahmy and Egyptian Baher Mohamed, both of whom appeared in court for the retrial. 

As of this writing, there is no indication that a pardon was granted for the previously deported third Al Jazeera English defendant, Australian Peter Greste, who did not appear for the retrial and was convicted and sentenced to three years of imprisonment, in absentia.

If Greste was not among those pardoned, then even though the case is over for Fahmy and Baher Mohamed, it is still open as to Greste should he ever return to Egypt (presumably unlikely). As has been demonstrated on occasion with some NGO case defendants, it could also cause him occasional difficulties during international travel.

For background regarding in absentia sentences, see this post and this article by a prominent Egyptian lawyer.

For background on the case generally, see these previous posts and this page on the Court of Cassation reversal of the original convictions.