LONDON – Today, British Foreign Secretary David Lammy met with the family of Alaa Abd el-Fattah, a British-Egyptian activist imprisoned in Egypt for over five years.
The Abd el-Fattah family is deeply concerned about the possibility of an extended sentence imposed by Egyptian authorities and seeks the British government’s intervention for his release. Alaa Abd el-Fattah, who holds dual citizenship, has substantial grounds to expect assistance from the UK.
In an emotional meeting, Sanaa and Mona Seif, Abd el-Fattah’s sisters, pressed David Lammy to fulfill his pledge to secure their brother’s freedom. The meeting marked the first direct conversation between the family and Lammy since his appointment as Foreign Secretary.
The sisters also highlighted their mother’s ongoing hunger strike in Cairo, emphasizing her desperate plea for justice. Laila Soueif, their mother, has vowed to continue her strike and intends to travel to London on October 19th to personally petition the Foreign Secretary, should her son remain imprisoned.
The family’s plea underscores the urgent need for diplomatic intervention and sheds light on the broader human rights issues facing political prisoners in Egypt.
As the British government is called upon to act, the international community continues to watch closely.
