13 hours ago
MPs attack Egypt over illegal detention of activist
Egypt must be told 'it cannot be business as usual' until a British Egyptian pro-democracy activist is freed, say British MPs.
Alaa Abd El-Fattah, 43, has been detained since 2019 and was sentenced to five years in prison in 2021 for spreading 'false news undermining national security' after sharing a social media post about torture. In September, the Egyptian authorities refused to release him after they declined to account for the time he spent in pre-trial detention. Last month, a UN panel found that Egypt was detaining him illegally.
His mother, Laila Souief, 69, who is also a British citizen, was admitted to hospital in London after more than eight months on hunger strike in which she lost 42 per cent of her bodyweight.
In a letter to Sir Keir Starmer, the leaders of four all-party parliamentary groups welcomed the prime minister's efforts in recent months, which include repeatedly raising the case with President Sisi. However, they urged him to 'consider strengthening the UK's approach without further delay, to advance Mr Abd El-Fattah's case, demonstrate Britain's commitment to the human rights of its citizens, and end this family's anguish'.
'We call on the government to make it clear to Egypt … that it cannot be business as usual until Mr Abd El-Fattah is released,' they said. 'Measures suggested by his family and other high-profile figures include revising the travel advice for UK citizens, exploring sanctioning those involved in his detention, and considering taking Egypt to the International Court of Justice.
'Prime minister, as the world watches on, we urge you to show the leadership needed to avert tragedy for this family, and demonstrate once and for all that the United Kingdom will not tolerate such abuse of the fundamental rights of British citizens,' they said.
The letter was signed by Sir John Whittingdale, of the group on media freedom, Fabian Hamilton, of the group on human rights, Brendan O'Hara, of the group on international law, justice and accountability, and Tim Roca, of the group for arbitrary detention and hostage affairs.
