Egypt's military to release prisoners on revolution anniversary

Egypt's military rulers have pledged to release more than 1,900 people tried in military courts to mark the first anniversary of the start of a revolution that toppled longtime ruler Hosni Mubarak.

The pledge came Wednesday after Egypt's military ruler Field Marshal Hussein Tantawi decreed on national television Tuesday night that the nation's hated emergency laws would be partially lifted on the anniversary day, but said thestrict measureswill remain applicable to crimes committed by "thugs."

Tantawi'sdecision to partially lift the decades-old laws, which give police far-reaching powers, will likely not satisfy rights groups that have objected to the repeated use by the military of the term "thugs" to justify crackdown on protesters.

In another apparent goodwill gesture, blogger Maikel Nabil Sanad was freed Tuesday. He was arrested in March and sentenced by a military court to three years in prison over his criticism of the military's use of violence against protesters.

The military caretaker government has declaredWednesday a holiday and celebrations are expected in Cairo and other cities. But many citizens are expressing frustration with the slow pace of change and anger over the military's continued strict rule.

On Tuesday, hundreds gathered atCairo's Tahrir Squareand began assembling tents at the site of last year's focal point of anti-Mubarak demonstrations.There were numerous reports on Twitter ofa heavyriot police presence around the square and that police were blocking some off streets leadingto the site.

The CBC's Margaret Evans travelled toMahalla el-Kubra, a large industrial city a few hours north of Cairo that was the site of anti-government protests back in 2008, which arecredited with paving the way for the Arab Spring and the Egyptian revolution.

Modaz Abdul-Hamid, a doctor inMahalla el-Kubra, told CBC News that residents thought the changes were going to occur immediately after the revolution.

CBC NEWS IS THERE

The CBC's Margaret Evans, Evan Mitsui and Manmeet Ahluwalia are in Egypt for the first anniversary of the start of the revolution that toppled Hosni Mubarak's regime. Follow their reports on CBCNews.ca,CBC News NetworkandCBC Radio.

"We thought that it was going to the right way, but now, you're not so sure, " he said in Arabic. "Just the president[went]away. All the other needs [have] not happened yet."

People in thecityare hungry for tangible economic and social change, but they also cite an ongoing lack of freedom.

Egyptians still get arrested for criticizing the country's leadership, the Supreme Council of the Armed Forces, which isrun by Mubarak's old friend Tantawi.

Ebrahim el Shafie, who spoke to CBC News afterbailing his son out of jail, said he believeslife is worse now than underMubarak.ElShafie said hisson and four of his friends were arrested from the street just forsaying Tantawi should step down from the military committee.

But others describe a country left fatigued a year after the demonstrations and the subsequent struggles. Alaa el Bahalwn, who runs a small weaving firm, admits many Egyptians have no appetite for more protests.

Butel Bahalwntold CBC News that staying out of Tahrir Square won't get Egypt to where it needs to be, although where that is exactly is itself a major issue of dispute.