The Guardian view on Egypt and Alaa Abd el-Fattah: Starmer and Lammy vowed to do all they can. So do it
Last month, Sir Keir Starmer promised to do 'everything I possibly can' to free Egypt's highest profile political prisoner, Alaa Abd el-Fattah. A few months earlier, the foreign secretary had described the case of the British-Egyptian writer and campaigner as the 'number one issue'. In opposition, David Lammy had joined a protest in Mr Abd el-Fattah's support outside the Foreign Office and demanded serious diplomatic consequences for Cairo if no progress was made.
Progress has not been made and time is running out. Arbitrary detention has stolen almost a decade of Mr Abd el-Fattah's life, while that of his remarkable mother, Laila Soueif, may be drawing to its close. As of Tuesday, the 69-year-old, who lives in London, had not eaten for 261 days, as she demands her son's release. After taking 300-calorie liquid supplements for a short period, she returned to a full hunger strike almost a month ago and has been hospitalised since the end of May. In Egypt, Mr Abd el-Fattah has been on hunger strike for more than 100 days.
Mr Abd el-Fattah, whose current ordeal began when he was detained in 2019, should never have been held. He was sentenced to five years for 'spreading false news'; his real offence was to speak truth to power. But the injustice was compounded when, instead of releasing him in September, as Egypt's own criminal code requires, the state chose to ignore his pre-trial detention. His jail term was deemed to have begun only after his conviction in December 2021, meaning that it would run until the end of next year.
The UN working group on arbitrary detention found last month that his detention was unlawful on multiple grounds, including the lack of arrest warrant, violation of his right to free expression and the lack of a fair trial. His 13-year-old son, who lives in Brighton, has been denied the chance to know his father.
In over a decade in office, Gen Abdel Fatah al-Sisi, Egypt's president, has proved to be even more repressive than his former boss, Hosni Mubarak, who was overthrown in the Arab spring. Executions have soared, and more than 1,500 political prisoners were detained last year alone. Sir Keir has twice raised Mr Abd el-Fattah's case directly in calls with Gen Sisi, and has written to him multiple times. Yet Britain has not even gained consular access to the 43-year-old. Egypt has released dual nationals before when under pressure. It appears particularly obdurate in this case.
Supporters have made a strong case for imposing sanctions and bringing a case at the international court of justice. Given the health of Mr Abd el-Fattah and Ms Soueif, however, the priority must be measures with immediate effect. The first should be to change travel advice, warning against travelling to Egypt, and to refuse trade talks. Mr Abd el-Fattah's case clearly indicates the risks for Britons, given the lack of fair process and consular access. Egypt's economy, which remains fragile following an International Monetary Fund bailout last year, is heavily dependent on tourism and around half a million Britons travel there every year.
The prime minister's advocacy is welcome. But as Mr Lammy demanded in 2022, 'what diplomatic price has Egypt paid for denying the right of consular access to a British citizen?' It is clear that Britain has not, in fact, done everything it possibly can to change the Egyptian government's mind. It must now do so.
Do you have an opinion on the issues raised in this article? If you would like to submit a response of up to 300 words by email to be considered for publication in our letters section, please click here.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Sky News
an hour ago
- Sky News
'Britain's darkest secret': Grooming survivor calls for apology from Starmer
A rape survivor who was abused by dozens of men has called on the prime minister to apologise for the delay in calling for a national inquiry into the grooming scandal. "Elizabeth", whose name we have changed to protect her identity, was abused by a gang of men in Rotherham from the age of 14. She was also trafficked to other cities and says she was raped by so many men over the course of more than three years she doesn't know the exact number. She says all her abusers were of Pakistani heritage. After Louise Casey's explosive report revealed the ethnicity of perpetrators had been shied away from by the authorities, Elizabeth says Sir Keir Starmer owes survivors an apology "not just for holding back on the inquiry, because he could have done this six months ago, but also for the insults that followed". She says it was incorrect of the prime minister to accuse people of jumping on a "far-right bandwagon". "Survivors and families have not done that. You have whistleblowers, you know, it's concerned people wanting justice for child abuse," she says. She also believes that had the authorities been prepared to confront concerns about the ethnicity of offenders and investigate communities more closely, she could have been spared the abuse she suffered. "Going back, the intelligence, everything, I should never have been a victim," she says. Many are angry it has taken 11 years for politicians to accept the issue Shockingly, in Rotherham, the truth has been known for more than a decade. In 2014 a report by Alexis Jay, who went on to chair a national inquiry into the wider issue of child sexual exploitation, found there were at least 1,400 victims of grooming in the town, with the perpetrators predominantly of Pakistani heritage. 4:18 Many here, including Elizabeth, are angry it has taken 11 years for politicians to accept the issue, despite scandals emerging in a number of towns and cities across Britain. "It's a question still that needs to be answered. I do think it was because they wanted to be politically correct," she says. 'They silenced the wrong people' She's disappointed but unsurprised by the revelation that Whitehall officials wanted to help the authorities in Rotherham cover up the scandal: "It does explain a lot because I've always thought that how organised Rotherham was - how possibly could they have pulled it off themselves?" She believes the result of years of denial by the authorities has meant perpetrators were protected. She describes the survivors of grooming as "Britain's darkest secret", adding, "they silenced the wrong people and we need the truth. Why did they do it?". Sir Keir 'frustrated' with politicians who 'shout and scream but do nothing' Sir Keir said he gets "frustrated" with politicians who "shout and scream but do nothing" as he defended past comments about a grooming gangs inquiry. 7:56 Speaking to Sky News's political editor Beth Rigby, the prime minister was asked if he regretted saying in January that those calling for a national probe into paedophile rings were "jumping on a far-right bandwagon" - given he has now agreed to one. Sir Keir said he was "really clear" he was talking about the Tories, who were demanding an inquiry they never set up when they were in government. He said: "I was calling out those politicians. I am frustrated with politics when people shout and scream a lot and do nothing when they've got the opportunity to do it. It's one of the worst aspects of politics, in my view."
The Independent
2 hours ago
- The Independent
Trump says Iran's leader is ‘easy target' as Starmer calls for de-escalation
Donald Trump said the US was not going to assassinate Iran's supreme leader 'at least not for now' as Sir Keir Starmer played down the prospect of an imminent American intervention in the Middle East crisis. The US president abruptly left Sir Keir and allies at a major global summit amid the escalating conflict between Israel and Iran. The Prime Minister said 'nothing' he had heard from the US president suggested Washington was poised to get involved as western leaders continue to press for de-escalation between the two long-time foes. But within hours, Mr Trump said his patience was wearing thin with Iran and suggested Ayatollah Ali Khamenei was an 'easy target' who the US could 'take out' if it chose. Writing on his Truth Social platform, Mr Trump said: 'We know exactly where the so-called 'Supreme Leader' is hiding. 'He is an easy target, but is safe there – We are not going to take him out (kill!), at least not for now. 'But we don't want missiles shot at civilians, or American soldiers. Our patience is wearing thin.' Without further explanation he also wrote 'UNCONDITIONAL SURRENDER!' on the platform. And he suggested the US had 'complete and total control of the skies over Iran'. Mr Trump left the G7 conference in Canada a day early to deal with what he called 'big stuff' and urged Iranian citizens to evacuate from Tehran, which triggered speculation that American forces might join Israeli strikes. Asked whether the US could get involved as the conflict threatens to spiral into all-out war, Sir Keir told reporters with him at the conference in Kananaskis: 'There is nothing the president said that suggests he's about to get involved in this conflict. On the contrary, the G7 statement was about de-escalation.' In a statement on Monday before Mr Trump's departure, leaders had reiterated their 'commitment to peace and stability' but stopped short of calling for a truce between Israel and Iran. The Prime Minister said the wording 'faithfully reflects' the discussions of allies around the table. 'I don't think anything that the president said either here or elsewhere suggests that,' he said when pressed on the prospect of imminent US involvement. 'I think that the statement really speaks for itself in terms of the shared position of everybody who was here at the G7.' The Prime Minister was asked whether Britain would potentially support the US if it took action to limit Iran's nuclear programme, which leaders have condemned. 'On nuclear, Iran's nuclear programme, I've been very clear. We are deeply concerned about the programme. I certainly do not want Iran to have a nuclear weapon,' he said. 'But the thrust of the statement is in accordance with what I was saying on the way out here, which is to de-escalate the situation, and to de-escalate it across the region rather than to escalate it.' In Westminster, not long after Mr Trump's Truth Social posts, Defence Secretary John Healey suggested the US president was 'leading the calls' for a diplomatic solution to the Iran-Israel conflict. 'I would say that you have seen the UK and the US, and other countries all calling for de-escalation, all calling for renewed diplomacy and you hear President Trump leading the charge and leading the calls for Iran to do a deal,' Mr Healey said at the Royal United Services Institute's Land Warfare conference. Hours after signing the Middle East agreement, Mr Trump has suggested that he was not interested in a truce while also attacking French President Emmanuel Macron, who had told French media that the US leader was leaving early to negotiate a ceasefire. Asked whether he was disappointed in the apparent US move to act unilaterally in relation to the conflict amid concerns the G7 could be sidelined, Sir Keir played down divisions. He told reporters: 'I think what (the president) said was he wanted to go beyond a ceasefire effectively and end the conflict. 'And I think he's right about that. I mean, a ceasefire is always a means to an end.'
The Independent
2 hours ago
- The Independent
PM denies coalition of the willing is dead as UK pushes for lower Russian oil cap
Talks to tighten the oil price cap on Russia are ongoing, Sir Keir Starmer said as he denied his plans for a so-called 'coalition of the willing' to protect Ukraine were dead. The Prime Minister said he 'strongly' believes that restrictions on the price of Russian crude oil should be strengthened to deplete the revenues Vladimir Putin uses to fund his war machine. The UK announced sanctions on 30 fresh targets linked to the Kremlin on Tuesday in a bid to ramp up pressure on Moscow as it continues resist calls for an unconditional ceasefire in Ukraine. A wider package of measures which Sir Keir suggested would be forthcoming from allies gathered at the G7 summit in Canada is yet to materialise after splits opened up in the approach to Russia on Monday. Downing Street said Britain also plans to 'move with partners to tighten the oil price cap' after the group of the world's wealthiest countries agreed in 2022 to restrict the price Russian crude oil to 60 dollars a barrel. Speaking to reporters with him in Kananaskis, Sir Keir was asked whether such a move would be possible without the backing of the US, which has indicated its reluctance to impose further sanctions on Moscow. 'Obviously today we're going to focus on Ukraine,' Sir Keir said. 'We've got President (Volodymyr) Zelensky coming in. We're putting in extra sanctions today, including sanctions on the shadow fleet. 'Others will be doing, similar actions in coming days. And so that does ramp up the pressure. 'On the oil price, obviously, we're still looking at how we're going to make that work. But I strongly believe that we have to put those sanctions in place. We're having those discussions with President Zelensky today.' Before abruptly leaving the summit on Monday, US President Donald Trump suggested he wanted to wait to 'see whether or not a deal is done' with Ukraine before targeting the Kremlin with further action. His remarks are awkward for Sir Keir, with whom he appeared to announce the completion of the US-UK deal, after the Prime Minister said G7 allies would seek to target Russian energy revenues. Talks to broker a possible peace in Ukraine have stalled as Moscow continues to pound the country with missile and drone attacks and holds out on US-backed proposals for an unconditional truce. Meanwhile, the UK and France have been leading efforts to assemble a so-called 'coalition of the willing' made up of nations prepared to send peacekeeping troops to Kyiv to enforce a potential truce. Asked whether those plans were dead in the water, Sir Keir told reporters: 'On the coalition of the willing, no, not at all. That is obviously intended to answer the question, how do you ensure that if a deal is reached, a deal is kept so it's a lasting deal? 'Because the concern, has always been, that there have been deals, if you like, before, Putin has then subsequently breached them. 'So how do you stop that happening again? And the military planning is still going on, as you would expect, so that, when the time comes, we're ready to act.' Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky is attending the G7 conference in Kananaskis, along with leaders from Canada, the US, France, Italy, Japan, Germany and Britain. The Russian invasion will be at the top of the agenda on Tuesday. Earlier, the UK announced sanctions targeting 20 oil tankers in Russia's shadow fleet, as well as measures to tighten the net around companies managing the vessels, Orion Star Group LLC and Valegro LLC-FZ. Britain also targeted two UK residents – Vladimir Pristoupa and Olech Tkacz – who the Government said had operated 'a shadowy network of shell companies' aiding Moscow. The branch of the Russian defence ministry leading the country's underwater intelligence gathering operations, known as Gugi, has also been sanctioned. Sir Keir said: 'These sanctions strike right at the heart of Putin's war machine, choking off his ability to continue his barbaric war in Ukraine. 'We know that our sanctions are hitting hard, so while Putin shows total disregard for peace, we will not hesitate to keep tightening the screws. 'The threat posed by Russia cannot be underestimated, so I'm determined to take every step necessary to protect our national security and keep our country safe and secure.'
