Latest news with #AlaaAbdelFattah
Daily Mail
15-07-2025
- Politics
- Daily Mail
Mother of a British man jailed in Egypt is forced to quit 10-month hunger strike... and now faces life-threatening condition
A mother has ended a 10-month hunger strike in London after her Egyptian-British activist son was jailed in Cairo for 'spreading false news'. Academic Laila Soueif, 69, began the protest in September 2024 when Alaa Abdel Fattah was due to be freed following a five-year-sentence - but was never released. Her daughter, Mona Seif, confirmed yesterday Ms Soueif was now in hospital beginning a medically supervised process to reintroduce her to nutrition. She said: 'Yesterday, my mother told me she decided to end the hunger strike and will start the necessary medical procedures with the doctors. 'We are not out of danger yet,' she said, adding doctors had warned of the risks of ending prolonged fasting, including a potentially life-threatening condition known as refeeding syndrome. Soueif consumed sugar cubes on Sunday to symbolically mark the end of the strike, according to her other daughter, Sanaa Seif. Abdel Fattah, 43, was a prominent figure in Egypt's 2011 uprising, and has spent most of the past decade behind bars under successive governments. He was most recently arrested in 2019 and sentenced to five years after reposting a Facebook post about police brutality. Abdel Fattah began a partial hunger strike in March in solidarity with his mother after she was hospitalised with dangerously low blood sugar. He is currently consuming only herbal tea, black coffee and rehydration salts. His sister Sanaa said last month he had lost 29 percent of his body weight during the hunger strike. In May, a United Nations panel of experts described his detention as arbitrary and called for his immediate release. Despite diplomatic efforts, including conversations between UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer and Egyptian President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi, his case remains unresolved. Since 2022, Sisi's administration has released hundreds of detainees and pardoned several high-profile dissidents, including Abdel-Fattah's lawyer, but the activist himself has been repeatedly excluded. More than 100 parliamentarians signed a letter in May calling for Starmer to take urgent action over the case. It gave a worrying glimpse into Ms Soueif's condition: 'We write with mounting concern about the lack of concrete progress on Alaa's case, more than two months after your call with President Sisi. It added: 'There is also no doubt in our minds that if the health of Laila or Alaa is further damaged by this ordeal, this would have serious long-term implications for the British-Egyptian bilateral relationship' 'Time is in desperately short supply in this case. Alaa has been acutely unwell in prison, experiencing vomiting, stomach pains, dizziness and blurred vision. 'Meanwhile, Laila's health continues to deteriorate. She has not eaten proper food for more than seven months. 'Prime Minister, we remain gravely concerned about the implications for Alaa's family if the path to resolve his case and secure his release cannot be found very soon. 'There is also no doubt in our minds that if the health of Laila or Alaa is further damaged by this ordeal, this would have serious long-term implications for the British-Egyptian bilateral relationship. 'We urge you to deploy every tool at your Government's disposal at this vital stage. We offer our support to your efforts on behalf of Alaa and his family in any way needed.'
South China Morning Post
14-07-2025
- Health
- South China Morning Post
Mother of jailed Egyptian-UK activist ends 10-month hunger strike, family says
Egyptian academic Laila Soueif has ended a 10-month hunger strike protesting against the continuing imprisonment of her son, activist Alaa Abdel Fattah, her family said on Monday. Soueif, 69, began the strike in September 2024 when Abdel Fattah, an Egyptian-British dual national, was due to be freed after serving five years in prison for 'spreading false news' but was never released. Her daughter, Mona Seif, said Soueif was now in hospital beginning a medically supervised process to reintroduce her to nutrition. 'Yesterday, my mother told me she decided to end the hunger strike and will start the necessary medical procedures with the doctors,' Seif wrote on social media. 'We are not out of danger yet,' she said, adding that doctors had warned of the risks of ending prolonged fasting, including a potentially life-threatening condition known as refeeding syndrome. Soueif consumed sugar cubes on Sunday to symbolically mark the end of the strike, according to her other daughter, Sanaa Seif.
Malay Mail
30-06-2025
- Politics
- Malay Mail
UK to name envoy for jailed nationals amid criticism over secrecy, delays in high-profile detention cases
LONDON, June 30 — Britain is preparing to emulate the United States by appointing an envoy tasked with freeing citizens arbitrarily detained abroad, as it faces calls to do more to bring them home. High-profile cases like jailed Egyptian-British activist Alaa Abdel Fattah and imprisoned Hong Kong media mogul Jimmy Lai have spotlighted the plight of Britons held in jails overseas. The UK foreign ministry insists it continues to press such cases with governments, but relatives of detainees and human rights organisations complain of a lack of urgency and transparency. 'The government is committed to strengthening support for British nationals, including through the appointment of a new envoy,' a Foreign Office spokesperson told AFP. Middle East Minister Hamish Falconer has said an 'Envoy for Complex Consular Detentions' is expected to be appointed 'before the summer'. The government has not specified the terms of the role but it could be similar to America's Special Presidential Envoy for Hostage Affairs, a position created in 2015. Unlike the United States though, Britain does not take part in prisoner exchanges. Professor Carla Ferstman, an expert on arbitrary detentions at the Human Rights Centre at Essex Law School, said appointing someone would be the 'clearest thing that the UK can do that it hasn't done yet'. 'When you have someone at the highest level they command a certain level of respect,' she told AFP. Abdel Fattah was arrested in September 2019 and sentenced to five years in prison on charges of 'spreading false news' after sharing a Facebook post about police brutality. He is still imprisoned despite a hunger strike by his mother and Britain's foreign ministry saying it is pushing for his release 'at the highest levels of the Egyptian government'. His sister Sanaa Seif said an envoy would mean 'a proper continued focus on' freeing detainees. 'Clear strategy' 'It's also important to have a focal point that can help coordinate between different government bodies so that they all work in synchronisation,' she told AFP. Seif believes the government should consider revising travel advice to Egypt too, a call also made by lawmakers who have suggested the government should sanction Egyptian officials as well. 'Is it not clear that words are no longer sufficient?' Conservative peer Guy Black asked in parliament's House of Lords recently. Ferstman said tightening travel guidance can be a powerful tool. 'It's a big deal because all of a sudden tourists can't get insurance and it's harder for business travel to happen. There's all kinds of implications,' she explained. Amnesty International recently called for the government to develop a 'clear strategy' to support arbitrarily detained Britons, including by demanding that UK officials attend trials. The Labour government pledged in its general election-winning manifesto last year that it would introduce 'a new right to consular assistance in cases of human rights violations'. Amnesty also wants the government to call for a person's 'immediate release', including publicly when it is requested by the family. It said London took three years to publicly call for Lai to be freed, something his son Sebastian said 'sends the wrong message' to 'autocratic states'. 'The quicker we have the government speak out post-arrest, that's the window of opportunity to have people released,' Eilidh Macpherson, Amnesty's campaigns manager for individuals at risk told AFP. UK officials say the government can be wary of accusations it is interfering in another country's judicial system. 'Sometimes it may need to be quiet about what it's doing, but this shouldn't come at the expense of transparency,' said Ferstman. Jagtar Singh Johal, a Sikh blogger from Scotland, was arrested in India in November 2017 while there for his wedding on accusations of being part of a terror plot against right-wing Hindu leaders. He has not been convicted of a crime and in March was cleared in one of the nine charges against him. The foreign ministry spokesperson said Foreign Secretary David Lammy 'continues to raise concerns' about the detention with India's government 'at every appropriate opportunity'. But his brother, Gurpreet Singh Johal complains of being kept in the dark. 'We don't know what's actually being said,' he told AFP. Gurpreet said an envoy would be a 'good thing' but until the position is in place, 'We won't know exactly what it means.' — AFP
Japan Times
30-06-2025
- Politics
- Japan Times
U.K. considers envoy for Britons held abroad
Britain is preparing to emulate the United States by appointing an envoy tasked with freeing citizens arbitrarily detained abroad, as it faces calls to do more to bring them home. High-profile cases like jailed Egyptian-British activist Alaa Abdel Fattah and imprisoned Hong Kong media mogul Jimmy Lai have spotlighted the plight of Britons held in jails overseas. The U.K. foreign ministry insists it continues to press such cases with governments, but relatives of detainees and human rights organizations complain of a lack of urgency and transparency. "The government is committed to strengthening support for British nationals, including through the appointment of a new envoy," a Foreign Office spokesperson said. Middle East Minister Hamish Falconer has said an "Envoy for Complex Consular Detentions" is expected to be appointed "before the summer." The government has not specified the terms of the role but it could be similar to America's Special Presidential Envoy for Hostage Affairs, a position created in 2015. Unlike the United States though, Britain does not take part in prisoner exchanges. Professor Carla Ferstman, an expert on arbitrary detentions at the Human Rights Centre at Essex Law School, said appointing someone would be the "clearest thing that the U.K. can do that it hasn't done yet." "When you have someone at the highest level they command a certain level of respect," she said Abdel Fattah was arrested in September 2019 and sentenced to five years in prison on charges of "spreading false news" after sharing a Facebook post about police brutality. He is still imprisoned despite a hunger strike by his mother and Britain's foreign ministry saying it is pushing for his release "at the highest levels of the Egyptian government." Sanaa Seif, sister of jailed Egyptian-British activist Alaa Abdel Fattah, speaks to the media on June 3. | AFP-JIJI His sister Sanaa Seif said an envoy would mean "a proper continued focus on" freeing detainees. "It's also important to have a focal point that can help coordinate between different government bodies so that they all work in synchronization," she said. Seif believes the government should consider revising travel advice to Egypt too, a call also made by lawmakers who have suggested the government should sanction Egyptian officials as well. "Is it not clear that words are no longer sufficient?" Conservative peer Guy Black asked in parliament's House of Lords recently. Ferstman said tightening travel guidance can be a powerful tool. "It's a big deal because all of a sudden tourists can't get insurance and it's harder for business travel to happen. There's all kinds of implications," she explained. Amnesty International recently called for the government to develop a "clear strategy" to support arbitrarily detained Britons, including by demanding that U.K. officials attend trials. The Labour government pledged in its general election-winning manifesto last year that it would introduce "a new right to consular assistance in cases of human rights violations." Amnesty also wants the government to call for a person's "immediate release," including publicly when it is requested by the family. It said London took three years to publicly call for Lai to be freed, something his son Sebastian said "sends the wrong message" to "autocratic states." "The quicker we have the government speak out post-arrest, that's the window of opportunity to have people released," said Eilidh Macpherson, Amnesty's campaigns manager for individuals at risk. U.K. officials say the government can be wary of accusations it is interfering in another country's judicial system. "Sometimes it may need to be quiet about what it's doing, but this shouldn't come at the expense of transparency," said Ferstman. Jagtar Singh Johal, a Sikh blogger from Scotland, was arrested in India in November 2017 while there for his wedding on accusations of being part of a terror plot against right-wing Hindu leaders. He has not been convicted of a crime and in March was cleared in one of the nine charges against him. The foreign ministry spokesperson said Foreign Secretary David Lammy "continues to raise concerns" about the detention with India's government "at every appropriate opportunity." But his brother, Gurpreet Singh Johal, complains of being kept in the dark. "We don't know what's actually being said," he said. Gurpreet said an envoy would be a "good thing," but until the position is in place, "We won't know exactly what it means."
Bangkok Post
29-06-2025
- Politics
- Bangkok Post
UK considers envoy for Britons held abroad
LONDON - Britain is preparing to emulate the United States by appointing an envoy tasked with freeing citizens arbitrarily detained abroad, as it faces calls to do more to bring them home. High-profile cases like jailed Egyptian-British activist Alaa Abdel Fattah and imprisoned Hong Kong media mogul Jimmy Lai have spotlighted the plight of Britons held in jails overseas. The UK foreign ministry insists it continues to press such cases with governments, but relatives of detainees and human rights organisations complain of a lack of urgency and transparency. "The government is committed to strengthening support for British nationals, including through the appointment of a new envoy," a Foreign Office spokesperson told AFP. Middle East Minister Hamish Falconer has said an "Envoy for Complex Consular Detentions" is expected to be appointed "before the summer". The government has not specified the terms of the role but it could be similar to America's Special Presidential Envoy for Hostage Affairs, a position created in 2015. Unlike the United States though, Britain does not take part in prisoner exchanges. Professor Carla Ferstman, an expert on arbitrary detentions at the Human Rights Centre at Essex Law School, said appointing someone would be the "clearest thing that the UK can do that it hasn't done yet". "When you have someone at the highest level they command a certain level of respect," she told AFP. Abdel Fattah was arrested in September 2019 and sentenced to five years in prison on charges of "spreading false news" after sharing a Facebook post about police brutality. He is still imprisoned despite a hunger strike by his mother and Britain's foreign ministry saying it is pushing for his release "at the highest levels of the Egyptian government". His sister Sanaa Seif said an envoy would mean "a proper continued focus on" freeing detainees. - 'Clear strategy' - "It's also important to have a focal point that can help coordinate between different government bodies so that they all work in synchronisation," she told AFP. Seif believes the government should consider revising travel advice to Egypt too, a call also made by lawmakers who have suggested the government should sanction Egyptian officials as well. "Is it not clear that words are no longer sufficient?" Conservative peer Guy Black asked in parliament's House of Lords recently. Ferstman said tightening travel guidance can be a powerful tool. "It's a big deal because all of a sudden tourists can't get insurance and it's harder for business travel to happen. There's all kinds of implications," she explained. Amnesty International recently called for the government to develop a "clear strategy" to support arbitrarily detained Britons, including by demanding that UK officials attend trials. The Labour government pledged in its general election-winning manifesto last year that it would introduce "a new right to consular assistance in cases of human rights violations". Amnesty also wants the government to call for a person's "immediate release", including publicly when it is requested by the family. It said London took three years to publicly call for Lai to be freed, something his son Sebastian said "sends the wrong message" to "autocratic states". "The quicker we have the government speak out post-arrest, that's the window of opportunity to have people released," Eilidh Macpherson, Amnesty's campaigns manager for individuals at risk told AFP. UK officials say the government can be wary of accusations it is interfering in another country's judicial system. "Sometimes it may need to be quiet about what it's doing, but this shouldn't come at the expense of transparency," said Ferstman. Jagtar Singh Johal, a Sikh blogger from Scotland, was arrested in India in November 2017 while there for his wedding on accusations of being part of a terror plot against right-wing Hindu leaders. He has not been convicted of a crime and in March was cleared in one of the nine charges against him. The foreign ministry spokesperson said Foreign Secretary David Lammy "continues to raise concerns" about the detention with India's government "at every appropriate opportunity". But his brother, Gurpreet Singh Johal complains of being kept in the dark. "We don't know what's actually being said," he told AFP.
