The Ministry of Interior in the Gaza Strip issued a decision to pardon 57 detainees and sentenced to pending various security issues, "in order to enhance the positive internal atmosphere."
"The Ministry of Interior and National Security has decided to pardon 57 of those arrested and sentenced for various security issues after they have been studied and their effects addressed," the ministry said in a statement on Sunday.
A spokesman for the ministry, Iyad al-Bazam, said that the decision of the release, which was issued by Undersecretary of the Ministry, Major General Tawfiq Abu Naeem, was "in the interest of enhancing the positive internal atmosphere in the Gaza Strip and in response to the call of the Legislative Council."
The ministry released today journalist Hani al-Agha, who has been detained for more than 40 days. The Interior Ministry said earlier that the arrest of Agha came on the background of providing information affecting the public security for the benefit of security, and has nothing to do with the nature of his work journalism or freedom of opinion and expression. But Palestinian rights groups said his arrest was linked to a protest movement in the Gaza Strip.