Alaa Abdel Fattah, an Egyptian-British national has been in detention in Egypt since September 2019

Abdel Fattah’s 68-year-old mother Laila Soueif has been on a hunger strike for over four months in desperate appeal for her son

In response to the Prime Minister’s meeting with Alaa Abdel Fattah’s family, Eilidh Macpherson, Campaign Manager for Individuals at Risk at Amnesty UK, said: 

“We are delighted that the Prime Minister met with Laila and has committed to securing the release of Alaa Abdel Fattah and we appeal for increased and urgent action.

“Alaa’s mother has been on hunger strike for 139 days as a desperate appeal to bring her son home and end this injustice.

“Successive UK governments have a history of doing too little on behalf of UK nationals arbitrarily held overseas. The Prime Minister should make it absolutely clear to President Sisi that Alaa needs to be released as a matter urgency and allowed to safely leave the country.”

Trumped up charges

Abdel Fattah, a 43-year-old UK national, is a prominent blogger and writer who’s been in detention in Egypt since September 2019. He has already served a five-year jail sentence on trumped-up charges of “spreading false news” after a grossly unfair trial, yet last year his family were told he wouldn’t be released until January 2027.

Despite having completed his unjust and arbitrary five-year sentence on 29 September 2024, the Egyptian authorities have refused to release him, ignoring his time served in pre-trial detention. This situation violates both international legal norms and Egyptian law. Amnesty is calling for the UK government to help secure Alaa’s release and ensure his safe return to the UK.

Mother on hunger strike

Abdel Fattah’s 68-year-old mother Laila Soueif has been on a hunger strike for over four months as part of the family’s campaign to push the UK government into doing more to secure the jailed activist’s release.

Laila Souief previously, said:

“I’ve been on hunger strike because I cannot allow my son to continue languishing in prison. Enough is enough, my son’s life should not be ignored. Alaa is a prisoner of conscience - he should never have been forced to spend a single minute behind bars. We know from how the Egyptian regime works that if he doesn’t get out now, he will never get out. Alaa has been unjustly prisoned longer than necessary and it’s time for his release.”