The former British ambassador to Egypt, John Casson, has recommended that the UK advise its citizens against traveling to Egypt. This recommendation comes in response to Cairo’s refusal to release Alaa Abd el-Fattah, a dual British-Egyptian national. A UN panel determined that Fattah had been arbitrarily held in jail since 2019, and Egypt has denied the UK consular access to him.
Casson served as the ambassador to Egypt from 2014 to 2018 and has criticized Egypt for its treatment of Fattah, including torture and imprisonment on bogus charges. He believes Egypt’s actions are incompatible with being a friend of the UK and urges caution against travel to the country due to these issues and previous cases of mistreatment of British nationals. The travel advice should be as direct as that given for traveling to Hong Kong or Iran.
Egypt, which relies heavily on tourism for its economy, attracted a record 15.7 million tourists in 2023, including over 500,000 British visitors. While current Foreign Office advice warns against terrorism in certain regions and the risks of criticizing the government, it does not caution against visiting main tourist areas. However, Casson’s recommendation reflects concerns about the safety and rights of British citizens in Egypt.
Source: https://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2025/may/29/former-ambassador-calls-on-uk-to-advise-citizens-against-travel-to-egypt
