Egyptian President Abdel-Fattah el-Sissi pardons Al-Jazeera journalist Mohamed Fahmy along with prominent human rights activists

Fahmy was sentenced to three years in prison last month for airing what a court described as 'false news' and biased coverage

A lawyer and Egypt's state-run news agency say President Abdel-Fattah el-Sissi has pardoned a Canadian journalist for Al-Jazeera English, Mohamed Fahmy, along with prominent human rights activists.

The news agency MENA says el-Sissi has ordered those pardoned be released on 23 September.

Lawyer Khaled Abu Bakr confirmed the pardon and says his client is a "professional and innocent journalist."

Fahmy was sentenced to three years in prison last month for airing what a court described as "false news" and biased coverage. His colleague Baher Mohammed was also sentenced in the case. It wasn't immediately clear if Mohammed was also pardoned.

Prominent activists Yara Sallam and Sanaa Seif are among those pardoned, according to MENA.

AP