Pardon

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu asked President Isaac Herzog for a pardon on Thursday in his long-running corruption trial, saying criminal proceedings were hampering his ability to govern and that a pardon would be in Israel’s national interest. Netanyahu, Israel’s longest-serving prime minister, has denied charges of bribery, fraud and breach of trust and said in a video released by his Likud party that he still expects a full acquittal. “My lawyers sent a request for pardon to the president of the country…

Alaa Abdel Fattah’s pardon: a relief that raises bigger questions about Egypt’s politics President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi’s decision to pardon the prominent British‑Egyptian activist Alaa Abdel Fattah after six years behind bars marked an emotional turning point for a generation of Egyptians who once filled Tahrir Square with hope. But the gesture — long demanded by rights groups and the British government — offers relief more than resolution, and leaves unanswered questions about rule of law, diplomacy and the costs of…