British-Egyptian activist Alaa Abdel Fattah was released from prison after nearly six years and has been reunited with his family. His release on Monday followed a pardon from President Abdul Fattah al-Sisi, reportedly prompted by a request from the National Council for Human Rights. Abdel Fattah, a well-known political figure, was imprisoned in 2019 during a crackdown on dissent and was sentenced to five years for “spreading false news” related to a post about the torture of a fellow prisoner.
Abdel Fattah’s family expressed mixed emotions regarding his release, with his sister, Sanaa Seif, stating, “I cannot yet comprehend that this is real.” Laila Soueif, Abdel Fattah’s mother, had previously gone on a prolonged hunger strike advocating for his freedom. She ended her 287-day strike in July after assurances were made regarding his potential release. Following his release, the family gathered to celebrate together at their home in Giza.
Two weeks prior, President Sisi had instructed authorities to review the National Council for Human Rights’ requests for the release of Abdel Fattah and six others, citing the humanitarian and health conditions affecting their families. Although he was expected to be released in September 2024, the time he spent in pre-trial detention was not counted towards his sentence.
Abdel Fattah has been a prominent figure in Egyptian politics since the 2011 uprising that led to the ousting of President Hosni Mubarak. Since then, he has faced repeated arrests, particularly following the military’s 2013 overthrow of Egypt’s first democratically elected president, Mohamed Morsi. Despite acquiring British citizenship in 2021, he has not been permitted a consular visit from British diplomats. The UN Working Group on Arbitrary Detention previously stated that Abdel Fattah’s detention was arbitrary, citing violations of his rights to freedom of expression and a fair trial.
Source: https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cvg9772q3e1o?at_medium=RSS&at_campaign=rss