Alaa Abd El-Fattah: British-Egyptian activist on prison hunger strike is alive, says sister | World News
The family of an Anglo-Egyptian pro-democracy activist who went on hunger strike in an Egyptian prison say they have received confirmation he is still alive.
Alaa Abd El-Fattah has been on a hunger strike against his detention and prison conditions for the past six months, consuming only 100 calories a day.
Last week, he went on a hunger strike and stopped drinking water to coincide with the start date COP27 climate change summit in the Red Sea resort of Sharm El-Sheikh.
“I’m very relieved. We just received a notice from the prison for my mother, Alaa is still alive, he said he is drinking again since November 12,” said Sanaa Seif, sister. by Abd El-Fattah, wrote on Twitter.
“He said he would say more as soon as he could. It was definitely his handwriting. After all, proof of life. Why did they keep this with us for 2 days?! “
The 40-year-old man’s family and lawyers have repeatedly visited the prison where he is being held in northwest Cairo but have received no news of his condition.
Prime Minister Rishi Sunak raised Mr. Abd El-Fattah’s plight with Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi at the UN climate talks.
Secretary of State James Cleverly told BBC Radio 4’s Today programme, the government was monitoring his case “very, very closely”.
“It’s a case that the Foreign Office has raised for years in support of him. The Egyptians do not recognize him as a British citizen,” he said.
“We disagree with them on that and we have highlighted this disagreement with them at every level up to and including the prime minister in his discussions with President Sisi.”
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Little sister fears brother will die in prison
‘Medical intervention ‘days after hunger strike escalated
On Thursday, Egypt’s prosecutor said Abd El-Fattah was in good health after his family said they had been informed. a medical intervention was performed.
The nature of the intervention was not made clear but his family expressed concern that prison officials would force-feed the activist, which they believe would result in torture.
Last week, an Egyptian MP removed from a press conference about Abd El-Fattah after he questioned him as a political prisoner and shouted at his sister Abd El-Fattah.
Celebrities speak out in support of activists
Abd El-Fattah was sentenced to five years in prison last December after being accused of spreading fake news through a Facebook post he shared about human rights abuses in Egyptian prisons last year. 2019.
Activist family ramp up their campaign for his release before COP27 and also held sitting outside the UK Foreign Office.
Celebrities who have voiced their support for him include Dame Judi Dench, Dame Emma Thompson, Mark Ruffalo, Carey Mulligan and Khalid Abdalla.
Climate activist Greta Thunberg refuse to participate in COP27 because she disagrees with the country’s abuses of human rights and was seen in a solidarity protest with Mr. Abd El-Fattah.
