Prominent Egyptian-British human rights activist Alaa Abd El-Fattah has been freed from prison after receiving a presidential pardon from Egyptian President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi. His release, which also included five other prisoners, comes after he spent most of the past 12 years in detention, becoming one of Egypt’s most high-profile political prisoners. His lengthy imprisonment and repeated hunger strikes had garnered international attention and prompted pleas from the international community and his family.
Abd El-Fattah, who gained UK citizenship in 2021, was first detained before the 2011 Arab Spring uprising and later received lengthy sentences for his criticism of the government. In 2014, he was sentenced to 15 years for protesting without permission and was arrested again in 2019, receiving a five-year term.
Upon his release, his mother, Laila Soueif, expressed immense joy but added that their “greatest joy will come when there are no [political] prisoners in Egypt.” His sister, Mona Seif, also shared the celebratory news on social media.
The UK’s Foreign Secretary, Yvette Cooper, welcomed the decision and thanked President Sisi, stating her hope for Abd El-Fattah to return to the UK to be reunited with his family. The activist’s detention had become a symbol of the state of democracy and human rights in Egypt, and his release is seen as a significant development following years of relentless campaigning by his family and supporters.
