News: Alaa Abd el-Fattah pardoned after years-long ordeal
After nearly six years of detention, prominent activist Alaa Abd el-Fattah has been granted a presidential pardon by Egypt’s President Abdel Fatah al-Sisi. The writer and human rights defender had been imprisoned since 2019 on charges of “spreading false news,” a case stemming from a social media post about police brutality.
The release follows intensive international pressure, including repeated interventions by UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer and diplomatic efforts by Egypt’s own National Human Rights Council.
The case of Abd el-Fatta had become a symbol of Egypt’s human rights record, galvanizing a global campaign led by his family.
His mother, Laila Soueif, a mathematics professor, endured multiple hunger strikes and vigils outside UK government buildings to demand her son’s freedom.
The family, while overjoyed, remained cautiously optimistic as they awaited his actual release from a Cairo prison.
The pardon, reported by a state-linked news outlet, signals a potential warming in UK-Egypt relations.
While the exact timeline for his expected travel to the UK remains unclear, the announcement marks a monumental victory for his supporters and a rare moment of relief for his tireless family.
