Hamada Elrasam
Photographer
Visual Storyteller

Hours after a Cairo court freed deposed Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak, the current regime announced a presidential pardon to release more than 200 political prisoners—out of the tens of thousands who are languishing behind bars, including many since the 2011 uprising. I spoke with some of their families and friends while they waited to receive their pardoned loved ones—the lucky ones—outside Cairo’s Tora Prison.

  

Photo essay for Voice of America: https://www.voanews.com/a/egypt-prisoners/3765466.html


Photo essay for Le Monde diplomatique: https://mondediplo.com/outsidein/authoritarianism-as-usual

A woman reacts to the prison administration announcement of the release of 200 prisoners under a presidential pardon. “I miss you so much my son,” she says, Tora prison, Cairo, Egypt, Tuesday, March 14, 2017. (H. Elrasam/VOA)
Father of “Mahmoud Hassan” waits for his son’s release. With his hand on his heart, he says “I really don’t know what I’m going to do when I see my son. He is innocent. It’s God’s will.” Hassan spent three years in jail as part of a 15-year prison term. H
Yasser Awad in blue is seen crying with his father after getting released from Tora prison under a presidential pardon. “I still have three other brothers in jail,” he said in Cairo, Egypt, Tuesday, March 14, 2017. (H. Elrasam/VOA)
Abdulrahman Salem poses for a group picture with his family members outside Tora prison south of Cairo, Egypt, Tuesday, March 14, 2017. He was released with some 200 political prisoners under a presidential pardon. (H. Elrasam/VOA)
Four prison cellmates meet after being released from Tora prison under a presidential pardon, from the left “Abdullah Mohamed, Ibrahim Farag, Mahmoud Said and Abdullah Diab,” Cairo, Egypt. Tuesday March 14, 2017. (H. Elrasam/VOA)
Galal Araby kisses his 11 month-old son after after being released from Tora prison in Cairo, Egypt, Tuesday, March 14, 2017. Galal was sentenced to five years in jail. He only served 18 months. (H. Elrasam/VOA)
Mohamed Ragab hugs his mother after spending three and a half years behind bars on political charges, Tora prison, Cairo, Egypt, Tuesday, March 14, 2017. (H. Elrasam/VOA)
Political prisoners who benefit from the presidential pardon while they are leaving the Tora prison complex south Cairo, Egypt, Tuesday March 14, 2017. (H. Elrasam/VOA)
A woman pushes through the crowds toward the prison’s gate says “I want to see my son.” More than 40,000 have been politically charged since 2011 uprising, in Cairo, Egypt, Tuesday, March 14, 2017. (H. Elrasam/VOA)
Two of the newly released prisoners, Waled Essam (L) and Mohamed Salah, are waiting for their families. “We expected our families or friends to be waiting for us, but may be they are late,” said Waled. “We will wait for them or borrow some money and cloth
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