Latest news with #Soueif
Mada
15 hours ago
- Health
- Mada
Politicians, students, 130 former prisoners call for Sisi to release Alaa Abd El Fattah immediately
Urgent appeals have mounted in the last hours for the immediate release of detained activist and writer, Alaa Abd El Fattah, as his mother Laila Soueif lies in hospital in London, 245 days into a hunger strike. Egyptian authorities have imprisoned Abd El Fattah since 2019, in what United Nations experts ruled last week is arbitrary detention. Among those calling for his release are nearly 130 former prisoners, all of whom faced similar charges to Abd El Fattah in relation to their political views, and who issued a statement on Saturday calling for the writer's release 'today, not tomorrow,' in a plea to 'end the suffering of his family and save the life of his mother.' Soueif's blood sugar dropped dangerously low on Thursday night and she was hospitalized. Doctors say her life is in immediate danger. The prisoners' statement was shared by activist Ahmed Douma, who spent a decade in prison for participating in protests before he was granted presidential amnesty in 2023, and by lawyer and activist Mahienour al-Massry who was detained in 2018 while advocating for the release of detainees imprisoned for their political convictions. All signatories to the appeal faced charges similar to Abd El Fattah's, the statement said, including spreading false news, unlawful assembly, joining a terrorist group 'or other charges tied to freedom of expression and public participation.' The statement voiced deep concern over the decline in Soueif's health. 'In her perseverance,' it read, 'resounds the perseverance of hundreds of families worn down by imprisonment, and the stories of parents, siblings and children who have tried to make their voices heard only to be met with a wall of silence.' Soueif has made repeated appeals, both to the Public Prosecution and to leaders in both Egypt and the United Kingdom, where she and her family hold second nationality. In their statement, which remained open for additional signatories, the former prisoners called on authorities to 'reconsider the cases of all political prisoners.' 'We urge the relevant authorities in the Egyptian state to act with the wisdom and responsibility that this critical historical moment demands — and to release Alaa Abd El Fattah, in whatever form they see fit, in a way that befits a strong nation capable of correcting its course without hesitation,' the statement read. The signatories argued that releasing Abd El Fattah would do no harm to the state, just as their own releases 'have not posed any threat to public safety.' Instead, their release was welcomed both domestically and internationally as 'a reflection of a maturing state that comprehends the moment,' the statement added. Soueif, a mathematics professor at Cairo University, is on hunger strike to call for her son's release in 2024. The writer's sentence was due to come to an end in September but prosecutors refused the families' petitions to credit the two years he spent in remand detention toward his final sentence. The Civil Democratic Movement, a coalition of liberal parties, also called for Abd El Fattah's release at a press conference held Sunday at the headquarters of the Conservative Party. The politicians said that the power to release Abd El Fattah lay in the President's hands, urging him to include Abd El Fattah, alongside others imprisoned for freedom of expression, in general amnesty lists released for Eid al-Adha. Lawyer Suzanne Nady, who was in attendance, questioned what more must happen before Egyptian authorities begin upholding the law. 'We've already exhausted every peaceful route,' she said. Cairo University students submitted their own urgent appeal on Sunday to university president Mohamed Samy Abdel Sadek to intervene and save Soueif's life, who they said 'continued to fulfill her academic and teaching responsibilities at the university with unwavering dedication, up until the moment she departed for London.' The statement, a copy of which Mada Masr reviewed, called for Abdel Sadek to address the president and relevant authorities to secure Abd El Fattah's release 'in recognition of what [Soueif] offered and continues to offer to the university and Egypt's scientific community.' Over the past months, Soueif has repeatedly appealed to authorities in both Egypt and the United Kingdom. But 'nothing has changed,' Soueif said in a statement two weeks ago, announcing her decision to resume a full hunger strike after she had temporarily increased her intake to include a 300-calorie liquid supplement daily in March at the advice of doctors. British Prime Minister Keir Starmer last contacted President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi regarding Abd El Fattah's case on May 22. Though Soueif acknowledged Starmer's intentions in her announcement that she would resume a full hunger strike, she concluded that 'nothing is happening' to release her son. 'We have used up more days than we ever thought we had. We need Alaa released now.'
Time of India
a day ago
- Health
- Time of India
Mother of jailed UK-Egyptian hospitalised 242 days into hunger strike
Mother of jailed Egyptian democracy activist hospitalized after resuming hunger strike (AP) LONDON: The mother of Egyptian-British activist Alaa Abdel Fattah has been hospitalised 242 days into a hunger strike protesting her son's continued imprisonment in Egypt, her family said Thursday. Laila Soueif, 69, has been on hunger strike since September 29, 2024, the day her son was expected to be released after completing a five-year prison sentence. She resumed a full hunger strike last week after two months of easing her protest to a partial hunger strike. The academic and veteran activist was taken to a London hospital Monday with a "critically low" blood sugar level, her campaign group said in a brief statement. It is her second hospitalisation since February. Soueif's son Abdel Fattah was arrested in September 2019 and sentenced to five years for "spreading false news" after sharing a Facebook post about police brutality. A United Nations panel of experts on Wednesday determined his detention was arbitrary and illegal and called for his immediate release. Abdel Fattah, who has spent most of the past decade behind bars, has been on hunger strike himself since March 1 after learning his mother was hospitalised with dangerously low blood sugar and blood pressure, and given a glucose drip. Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like 노안+백내장 안보이는 답답함! 더는 방치 하지 마세요! 부산백내장노안 전문안과 더 알아보기 Undo Following her February hospitalisation, Soueif decided to ease her strike after UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer said he had pressed for her son's release in a call with Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi. She began consuming 300 calories a day through a liquid nutritional supplement, still going without food until last week, when she returned to only consuming rehydration salts, tea without sugar and vitamins. Her family says she has lost over 40 percent of her bodyweight since September. Soueif has also since last week returned to protesting outside Downing Street for an hour every week day, demanding the British government do more to secure her son's freedom. Last week, Starmer's office again said the prime minister pressed for Abdel Fattah's release in a call with Sisi. Abdel Fattah, a 43-year-old writer and activist, has become a symbol of the plight of Egypt's political prisoners. A key figure in the 2011 uprising that toppled longtime autocrat Hosni Mubarak, he has been detained under successive administrations since. Since 2022, Sisi's administration has released hundreds of detainees and pardoned several high-profile dissidents, including Abdel Fattah's lawyer Mohamed al-Baqer, but the activist's name has been repeatedly excluded.
Middle East Eye
2 days ago
- Health
- Middle East Eye
Alaa Abd el-Fattah's mother at risk of ‘sudden death', doctor says
The mother of British-Egyptian prisoner Alaa Abd el-Fattah is facing the risk of 'sudden death' as her blood sugar level falls to dangerously low levels on the 244th day of her hunger strike. Laila Soueif, who began her hunger strike in protest at her son's continued imprisonment by the Egyptian authorities, was warned by doctors on Friday that even a 'slight further reduction' in her blood sugar could result in a 'rapid loss of consciousness' and 'sudden death'. Abd el-Fattah was a key figure in the 2011 Egyptian revolution that ousted then-president Hosni Mubarak and has spent the best part of a decade behind bars. On 29 September 2024, Abd el-Fattah was due to complete a five-year sentence for 'spreading false news', but the authorities failed to release him, refusing to count the two years he spent in pre-trial detention towards his sentence. Sine then, Soueif has not consumed any food. New MEE newsletter: Jerusalem Dispatch Sign up to get the latest insights and analysis on Israel-Palestine, alongside Turkey Unpacked and other MEE newsletters Medical tests conducted at hospital revealed that Soueif's blood sugar dropped below 0.6 mmol/L on Thursday night – a level too low to be accurately measured. At the same time, her ketone levels, which indicate blood acidity, exceeded 7 mmol/L, suggesting a degree of acidosis that is also beyond the limits of medical detection. Since beginning her strike, the 69-year-old has lost 36kg – approximately 42 percent of her body weight – and now weighs just 49kg. Soueif's doctor has described her condition as a 'medical emergency' and warned that her death is an 'immediate risk'. The doctor added that, without urgent glucose treatment, she faces a 'clear risk' of irreversible damage to vital organs, including the heart, brain, and kidneys. The doctor further explained that Soueif's current blood sugar level is 'not typically compatible with consciousness,' and that her 'body's carbohydrate stores are essentially depleted'. They added that her body is now relying on its last reserves of fat to survive. 'We're losing her' British Prime Minister Keir Starmer has repeatedly expressed his personal commitment to securing the release of Alaa Abd el-Fattah. Soueif shifted to a partial hunger strike on 28 February, following a call between Starmer and Egyptian President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi, during which the prime minister reportedly 'pressed' Sisi to release Abd el-Fattah. But little has shifted since then. On 20 May, Soueif announced she would be stopping her intake of 300 calories a day. However, little progress has been made since. On 20 May, Soueif announced that she would cease consuming the 300 calories per day she had been allowing herself. 'Bottom line is we're losing her… there is no time. Keir Starmer needs to act now. Not tomorrow, not Monday. Now. Right now,' Soueif's daughter Sanaa Seif said in a press briefing outside St Thomas's hospital in London. 'It's a miracle that last night passed. It's a miracle that we still have her. I'm really, really proud of my Mum. And I want to remind Keir Starmer of his promise to us. We put our faith in him. Don't let us down, do something and do it today. Now.' Meanwhile, Abd el-Fattah has now reached the 92nd day of his own hunger strike from Wadi El-Natrun prison. On 12 April, he fell seriously ill, experiencing vomiting, severe stomach pain and dizziness. On Wednesday, the United Nations Working Group on Arbitrary Detention (UNWGAD) concluded that Abd el-Fattah's continued imprisonment is unlawful, and that he should be released immediately under international law.
South Wales Guardian
2 days ago
- Health
- South Wales Guardian
Mother of jailed British activist admitted to hospital while on hunger strike
Laila Soueif's family said she had been admitted to St Thomas's Hospital in London on Thursday night with dangerously low blood sugar levels, but continues to refuse medical intervention. Ms Soueif has been on hunger strike for 242 days in protest against the imprisonment of her son, Alaa Abd El-Fattah, who has been in jail in Egypt since September 2019. Speaking to reporters outside the hospital on Friday, Ms Soueif's daughter Mona Seif said she feared her mother was on the brink of death and urged the Prime Minister to act immediately. Ms Seif said: 'The bottom line is we are losing her and there is no time. 'Keir Starmer needs to act now, not tomorrow, not Monday, now.' In December 2021, Mr Abd El-Fattah was sentenced to five years in prison for spreading false news and should have been released last year. UN investigators have declared his imprisonment in breach of international law and earlier this year Sir Keir Starmer promised he would 'do everything I can' to ensure his release. Ms Seif said: 'If he is unable to deliver, if he is unable to bring my brother (home), then he needs to show that Britain is angry, that Britain is not going to let go of its citizen.' In a statement on Friday, Ms Soueif's family said she had received glucagon treatment, which induces the liver to break down stored fat to obtain glucose, but continued to refuse treatment that would provide her with calories. She has lost 42% of her bodyweight, now weighing 49kg, and has not eaten food since September 29 2024. She was previously admitted to hospital in February, with doctors warning she was at 'high risk of sudden death', and in early March agreed to move to a partial hunger strike following a call between Sir Keir and Egyptian president Abdel Fattah El-Sisi. But she resumed her full hunger strike on May 20, saying: 'Nothing has changed, nothing is happening.' Mr Abd El-Fattah has been on his own hunger strike for 90 days following his mother's admission to hospital in February. The Prime Minister raised Mr El-Fattah's case with the Egyptian president again in a call last week, and Middle East minister Hamish Falconer discussed his release with Egypt's foreign minister Badr Abdelatty on Sunday. A spokesperson for the Foreign Office said: 'We are concerned to hear of Laila's hospitalisation. We remain in regular contact with Laila and her family and have checked on her welfare. 'We are committed to securing Alaa Abd El-Fattah's release and continue to press for this at the highest levels of the Egyptian government.'
North Wales Chronicle
3 days ago
- Health
- North Wales Chronicle
Mother of jailed British activist admitted to hospital while on hunger strike
Laila Soueif's family said she had been admitted to St Thomas's Hospital in London on Thursday night with dangerously low blood sugar levels, but continues to refuse medical intervention. Ms Soueif has been on hunger strike for 242 days in protest against the imprisonment of her son, Alaa Abd El-Fattah, who has been in jail in Egypt since September 2019. Speaking to reporters outside the hospital on Friday, Ms Soueif's daughter Mona Seif said she feared her mother was on the brink of death and urged the Prime Minister to act immediately. Ms Seif said: 'The bottom line is we are losing her and there is no time. 'Keir Starmer needs to act now, not tomorrow, not Monday, now.' In December 2021, Mr Abd El-Fattah was sentenced to five years in prison for spreading false news and should have been released last year. UN investigators have declared his imprisonment in breach of international law and earlier this year Sir Keir Starmer promised he would 'do everything I can' to ensure his release. Ms Seif said: 'If he is unable to deliver, if he is unable to bring my brother (home), then he needs to show that Britain is angry, that Britain is not going to let go of its citizen.' In a statement on Friday, Ms Soueif's family said she had received glucagon treatment, which induces the liver to break down stored fat to obtain glucose, but continued to refuse treatment that would provide her with calories. She has lost 42% of her bodyweight, now weighing 49kg, and has not eaten food since September 29 2024. She was previously admitted to hospital in February, with doctors warning she was at 'high risk of sudden death', and in early March agreed to move to a partial hunger strike following a call between Sir Keir and Egyptian president Abdel Fattah El-Sisi. But she resumed her full hunger strike on May 20, saying: 'Nothing has changed, nothing is happening.' Mr Abd El-Fattah has been on his own hunger strike for 90 days following his mother's admission to hospital in February. The Prime Minister raised Mr El-Fattah's case with the Egyptian president again in a call last week, and Middle East minister Hamish Falconer discussed his release with Egypt's foreign minister Badr Abdelatty on Sunday. A spokesperson for the Foreign Office said: 'We are concerned to hear of Laila's hospitalisation. We remain in regular contact with Laila and her family and have checked on her welfare. 'We are committed to securing Alaa Abd El-Fattah's release and continue to press for this at the highest levels of the Egyptian government.'
