Laila Soueif, a mother campaigning for her son’s release from an Egyptian prison, has been on a hunger strike for 134 days. Soueif is calling on Sir Keir Starmer, leader of the British Labour Party, to ensure her son Alaa Abdel Fattah’s release if she dies “in the coming days”.
Abdel Fattah is a British and Egyptian citizen, who had been due to be freed in September 2024. He was arrested in 2019 on suspicion of spreading false news, and in 2021 he was convicted. Human rights groups have labelled the arrest and conviction as spurious.
Soueif has ingested nothing but herbal tea, black coffee, and rehydration salts since Abdel Fattah’s arrest. Holding a press conference outside Downing Street, the 68-year-old said she is fearful that time is running out to secure her son’s release, and called on the UK prime minister to act.
Despite Soueif requesting a meeting with Boris Johnson, it is claimed that Starmer has not responded to her requests. Soueif said that, “We can’t talk to the prime minister across the newspapers… I’d like him to meet me.”
A government spokesperson confirmed that ministers are “working intensively on his case” and that “progress is possible, but will take time”. They also stated that officials from the Foreign Office continue to press for Abdel Fattah’s release and consular access.
Soueif remarked that, due to her hunger strike, she has lost around a third of her initial body weight, with campaigners suggesting she has lost 28.3kg (4.5st). Earlier in February, Soueif was taken to the emergency department of St Thomas’s Hospital in London when her blood sugar and blood pressure dropped to concerning levels.
Soueif advises that it is imperative for Starmer to speak directly to President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi to persuade him to give the green light for her son’s release. “The only person who can do that is Mr Starmer, the prime minister”.
Regarding the situation, a spokesperson for the government said that “ministers and officials are extremely concerned about the ongoing situation with Mr Abdel Fattah, and we repeat our call for his release”
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