Family, friends, and supporters of Alaa Abd el-Fattah, a jailed British-Egyptian activist, are drawing attention to his poor prison conditions as his mother, Laila Soueif, remains hospitalized in declining health due to her hunger strike aimed at securing his release. The mounting campaign to pressure British ministers for more effective intervention on Abd el-Fattah’s behalf underscores the belief among supporters that his continued detention is motivated by personal animosity from Egypt’s President Abdel Fatah al-Sisi.
Having been imprisoned twice, most recently in Wadi al-Natrun in the Nile delta, Abd el-Fattah has endured harsh conditions, including isolation, limited access to books, and constraints on contact with other prisoners. Initially held in Tora maximum-security prison, designed for violent jihadists, Abd el-Fattah’s isolation was seen as a tactic to crush his spirit.
Alaa Abd el-Fattah became prominent during Egypt’s 2011 Tahrir Square protests and has since been an influential figure in organizing political protests. His imprisonment, stemming from organizing political protests without permission and later for spreading “fake news undermining national security,” reflects the Egyptian government’s broader policy of punishing dissent. Despite completing his five-year sentence, Abd el-Fattah remains imprisoned.
Supporters argue that the treatment of Abd el-Fattah is part of a broader vendetta against him and other dissidents, with no clear end to his detention. The campaign for his release has gained momentum, aiming to draw international attention to his case to ensure the safety and health of both Abd el-Fattah and his mother. The lack of progress in his case, despite efforts by international human rights groups and governments, highlights the challenges in addressing human rights abuses in countries where such activism is seen as a challenge to leadership.
Source: https://www.theguardian.com/world/2025/jun/12/the-idea-was-to-crush-his-spirit-family-of-jailed-british-egyptian-man-describe-awful-prison-conditions
