British Prime Minister Keir Starmer has pledged to advocate for the release of Alaa Abd el-Fattah, a British-Egyptian dual national who has been imprisoned in Egypt for over five years. Starmer met with Laila Soueif, Abd el-Fattah's mother, who has been on a hunger strike for 140 days in protest of her son's detention.
Abd el-Fattah, a prominent pro-democracy activist, was arrested in 2019 for allegedly 'spreading false news' on social media. His most recent offense was simply 'liking' a Facebook post that described torture in Egyptian prisons. Despite being eligible for release in September 2021, Egyptian authorities extended his detention until 2027.
Soueif, 68, has been steadfast in her hunger strike, subsisting solely on herbal tea, black coffee, and rehydration salts. Her determination to secure her son's freedom led her to camp outside the Foreign Office and later outside the Prime Minister's office at 10 Downing Street.
Starmer affirmed his commitment to raising Abd el-Fattah's case with the Egyptian government at the highest levels. The family's representative disclosed that the meeting between Starmer and Soueif marked their first encounter, emphasizing the gravity of the situation.
The plight of Abd el-Fattah is emblematic of the broader crackdown on dissent in Egypt, with thousands of individuals facing imprisonment under harsh conditions following unfair trials. Human rights organizations have condemned the Egyptian government's actions and called for the immediate release of political prisoners.
