CAIRO, Sept 29 (Aswat Masriya) - Amnesty International warned that the international community "must not be fooled" by President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi's "veneer of reform and empty promises," on Monday.

Amnesty said Egyptian authorities are "holding political prisoners like bargaining chips, releasing them only when politically expedient, or when they need to deflect international criticism."

Sisi is currently in New York where he is leading an Egyptian delegation in the UN General Assembly's 70th meeting.

Amnesty's statement came just days ahead of his scheduled speech in the assembly debates. In his speech, Sisi implored world leaders to unite in the fight against terrorism and discussed the refugee crisis. 

The rights watchdog said it is aware of thousands "across the country who have been languishing in Egyptian prisons" under Sisi's rule.

In an interview with CNN earlier this week, Sisi said Egypt is currently enjoying "unprecedented" levels of freedom of expression and that no one can be prevented from expressing their views in the media.  

On the day that he left for New York, Sisi pardoned 100 people convicted for breaching the country's protest law, described by civil rights advocates as a means of crushing dissent.

The pardons have seen the release of high profile activists like Sanaa Seif and Yara Sallam, but according to Amnesty and a local pressure group, at least seven people who have been granted pardons have not yet been released.

In the case of prisoner Salwa Mehrez, her release was delayed by several days because her name was misspelled in an official list of those pardoned.

Amnesty's Middle East and North Africa deputy director, Said Boumedouha said “most of those pardoned by President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi should never have been locked up in the first place."

Amnesty called on states including France and the U.S. to halt the transfer of arms, ammunition and policing equipment " used to commit mass violations against protesters" in Egypt.

Sisi's pardon last week included Al Jazeera's Mohamed Fadel Fahmy and Baher Mohamed. Their release was welcomed by the Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ).

However, CPJ  called on Egypt to release all other journalists.

Egypt, on the other hand, continues to deny that any journalists are detained in cases related to publishing or press freedom.