The IPI global network calls on Egyptian authorities to immediately release Alaa Abd el-Fattah, who remains unlawfully imprisoned nearly a year after completing his sentence. His mother, Laila Soueif, has been on hunger strike for more than 250 days in protest and was recently hospitalized. We urge the international community to use all diplomatic means at their disposal to pressure Egypt to release el-Fattah, as his mother鈥檚 health deteriorates.
El-Fattah, a blogger and activist who has been critical of Egyptian President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi, was in September 2019 over unfounded allegations of spreading 鈥渇alse news鈥�. A month prior, el-Fattah had shared a Facebook post the death of Hossam Hamed, a prison inmate. Following his arrest, el-Fattah spent over two years in pretrial detention before being in December 2021 to five years in prison.
While el-Fattah completed his sentence on 29 September 2024, Egyptian authorities to acknowledge the two years served in pretrial detention, stating his release date would not be until January 2027.
In protest of this decision, el-Fattah鈥檚 mother, Laila Soueif, has been on hunger strike since 29 September. Over the course of 250 days, she has lost nearly half her body weight. Until her recent , she a daily one-hour vigil outside Downing Street.
A UN panel has that el-Fattah鈥檚 continued detainment was illegal, in direct violation of Article 482 of the Egyptian Criminal Code which requires that time served in pretrial detention is deducted from prison sentences. According to , el-Fattah鈥檚 attorney, 鈥淭he UN working group has delivered a clear and unequivocal decision: Alaa Abd el-Fattah鈥檚 detention is arbitrary and in breach of international law. Egypt is now obligated to release Alaa immediately.鈥�
The international human rights community鈥攐rganization leaders, Nobel Laureates, writers, and public figures鈥攋oined together in March 2025, Sisi to grant el-Fattah a presidential pardon.
Moreover, Prime Minister Keir Starmer President Sisi for el-Fattah鈥檚 release on 28 February after meeting with Soueif following her first hospitalization. This launched subsequent negotiations between the United Kingdom and Egypt, and as a result, Soueif increased her caloric intake to 300 calories per day. However, as talks stalled, Soueif reverted back to a full hunger strike, putting her health at renewed risk. On 1 March, el-Fattah began his own hunger strike while imprisoned.
In light of Starmer and Sisi鈥檚 on 22 May and mounting international pressure, we issue an urgent call for el-Fattah鈥檚 release.
鈥淭he international community must use all diplomatic channels possible to pressure Egypt to release Alaa Abd el-Fattah,鈥� IPI Executive Director Scott Griffen said. 鈥淎s his mother鈥檚 health is in increasingly critical condition, we urge Egyptian authorities to end his unlawful imprisonment.鈥�