Rishi Sunak expressed “deep concern” to Egypt’s President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi for raising the case of a British pro-democracy activist jailed in Cairo for the past decade, Downing Street said.
UN in Sharm el-Sheikh British-Egyptian citizen Alaa Abdel-Fattah will “not live long” after announcing he will launch a water strike in conjunction with the COP27 climate summit, alarmed lawmakers have warned.
The 40-year-old writer and software developer – considered by many to be a hero of Egypt’s Arab Spring uprising – has eaten just 100 calories in the past 200 days in protest at Cairo’s refusal to grant him diplomatic access, but has intensified his hunger. Strike as world leaders descend on Egypt
His sister Sana Seif believes her brother’s switch to zero calories and the water strike has convinced the UK government of the “urgency” of the case, with Sunak writing to his family late last week to promise he was “fully committed to solving the problem”. [their] Brother case.
Describing the new prime minister’s letter as “powerful”, Saif said on Monday that his family had “put our faith” in Sunak: “If he makes this an urgent political priority, I really hope my brother will be next. Flight to London.”
UN Following a meeting a few hours later between Sunak and al-Sisi on the sidelines of the summit, Number 10, the new prime minister “raised the case of Alaa Abdel-Fattah, underlining the UK government’s deep concern for this issue.” . .
“The Prime Minister has said she hopes this will be resolved as soon as possible and will continue to press for progress,” a Downing Street spokesman said.
Earlier, Sunak told broadcasters that Abdel-Fattah’s case – which has already been raised twice by former prime minister Boris Johnson and Liz Truss when she was foreign secretary – “not only the UK but many countries want to see it resolved.”
Rishi Sunak meets with Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi during the COP27 summit
(Released by Egyptian Presidency/REUTERS)
Abdel-Battah, who rose to international prominence during the 2011 revolution that toppled Hosni Mubarak, was arrested by every Egyptian president during his lifetime on charges of spreading fake news on social media, and last year was sentenced to another five years in prison. Media records.
Last month, as the father and activist intensified their hunger strike, 64 lawmakers and peers from various parties wrote to Secretary of State James Wise, asking him to use Cop27 to protect Abdel-Fattah’s freedom. Serious danger.”
Harassment and psychological torture by Cairo, which the UK considers an ally, “gives us grave concern that it sets a precedent for our constituents imprisoned in Egypt and elsewhere”, branding their latest allegations “illegal”.
On Monday, Seif – who has been arrested three times in Cairo – suggested the “chaotic” state of British politics had made his brother’s case difficult.
“The unrest and regime change that was going on in the government… I feel very strongly that, in a way, it was a real excuse, but it also made public officials and diplomats an excuse. So they didn’t work as hard,” he told BBC Radio 4. A world in one project.
“Suddenly, when Ala turned off the water, I realized that suddenly we were getting these calls, phone calls, letters from the Prime Minister. So they seem to have a sudden sense of urgency. We warn them that this is coming.
I’m talking Sky News last weekend, Mr. His sister expressed hope that Sunak would not only provide a “mouthwatering service” to Abdel-Fattah’s case: “This is his first visit, so it will be a challenge, but I hope. Prime Minister Rishi Sunak understands the urgency.”
In a letter to Abdel-Fattah’s sisters, Sunak acknowledged the family was going through a “very painful time” and described their case as “a priority for the British government as a human rights defender and British citizen”.
“Total creator. Devoted tv fanatic. Communicator. Evil pop culture buff. Social media advocate.”
