Rights groups and the family of Egyptian activist Alaa Abdel-Fattah are urging authorities to release him once his five-year sentence concludes next week. Abdel-Fattah gained prominence during the 2011 pro-democracy movements in the Middle East, particularly in Egypt after the ousting of former President Hosni Mubarak. The 42-year-old activist has spent a significant portion of the past decade in detention, symbolizing Egypt’s shift toward autocratic governance under President Abdel Fattah el-Sissi.
Despite being initially sentenced in 2014 for involvement in an unauthorized protest and allegedly assaulting a police officer, Abdel-Fattah’s troubles persisted even after his release in 2019 from a five-year term. He was rearrested later that same year amidst a government crackdown following rare anti-government demonstrations. More recently, in late 2021, he received another five-year sentence for the dissemination of false information.
As the end of his current sentence approaches, concerns arise regarding his potential release, given additional charges he faces in Egypt, such as accusations of social media misuse and affiliation with a banned terrorist organization, the Muslim Brotherhood, designated as such in 2013 by authorities. Over 59 domestic and international rights organizations have come together to advocate for Abdel-Fattah’s immediate release, fearing a prolonged detention beyond his upcoming sentence termination.
Notably, there are reports suggesting that Egyptian authorities may not release Abdel-Fattah until January 2027, a delay that contradicts the country’s penal code, which permits the deduction of pre-trial detention time from the total sentence. Despite requests for comment, an Egyptian government media official and Abdel-Fattah’s lawyer have remained unavailable for clarification.
Abdel-Fattah, along with his family, has been staunchly campaigning for his liberty for years. Their efforts escalated in 2022 when he embarked on a hunger strike in prison, coinciding with the commencement of the U.N. climate conference, COP27, in Sharm el-Sheikh. However, his health deteriorated rapidly, leading to the termination of the strike after just a few days when he collapsed and lost consciousness. The hunger strike served to spotlight Egypt’s severe curtailment of free speech and political activities, evidenced by the extensive suppression of dissidents and stringent monitoring of social media under el-Sissi’s administration.
In a press conference in London, Abdel-Fattah’s sisters, Sanaa and Mona, called upon British authorities to intervene for their brother’s release. They emphasized the urgency of his situation, declaring each day beyond September 29 spent in confinement as an additional injustice added to his prolonged suffering. Mona Seif, speaking on behalf of the family, described the ongoing detention of Abdel-Fattah as a grave violation of his rights and an intolerable burden he has been forced to endure.