The Rt Hon. Keir Starmer MP
The Office of the Prime Minister
10 Downing Street
London
SW1A 2AA
Copied to: David Lammy, Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs of the United Kingdom.
20th December 2024
Dear Prime Minister,
Re: Urgent appeal for the release of Alaa Abd el-Fattah
We, the undersigned human rights organizations, urgently write to you regarding the case of Alaa Abd el-Fattah, a British-Egyptian writer, technologist, and prisoner of conscience who has been arbitrarily detained in Egypt since 2019. With the holiday season upon us and the health of his mother, Laila Soueif, critically deteriorating after 107 days on hunger strike, immediate action from the UK government is imperative to secure Alaa’s release, and save his mother’s life.
Alaa has now completed his five-year sentence in prison unjustly imposed on him following an unfair trial, as documented by numerous human rights organizations. Yet, Egyptian authorities continue to detain him arbitrarily. They have refused to recognize his British citizenship and denied him consular access in violation of their obligations under Article 36 of the Vienna Convention on Consular Relations. Furthermore, Alaa’s continued detention contravenes Article 482 of the Egyptian Code of Criminal Procedure, which stipulates that a custodial sentence begins “from the day of the arrest of the convict… taking into account its reduction by the amount of pretrial detention periods and the period of arrest.” Despite these clear legal violations, Alaa’s family has recently submitted a formal pardon request to the Egyptian President, presenting a clear and lawful path for his release under Egyptian law.
Laila Soueif, Alaa’s mother and also a British citizen, has been staging daily visits to the UK Foreign Office, calling for urgent intervention to free her son. Upon learning that Alaa would not be released despite serving his full sentence, she began a hunger strike, subsisting only on black tea, herbs, and minerals. Laila has now lost over 22% of her body weight, and her condition is rapidly deteriorating. Her life hangs in the balance, and her future — as well as Alaa’s — rests in your government’s hands. Her hunger strike underscores the critical urgency of this case.
Given the gravity of the situation, we add our voices to the 100+ British parliamentarians who recently wrote to Foreign Secretary David Lammy, and the 12 Nobel Laureates who appealed directly to you to intervene. Two parliamentary debates have spotlighted Alaa’s plight, with government ministers addressing his case, along with numerous MPs visiting Alaa’s mother as she continues her protest outside the Foreign Office.
New revelations from the Campaign Against the Arms Trade indicate that in 2023, the UK approved its largest-ever arms license to Egypt. The UK government cannot continue to undermine the life and well-being of its citizens for its foreign policy and economic interests.
Time is running out. We, therefore, urge you to act immediately to save Laila’s life and reunite a mother with her son. We call on the UK government to:
- Leverage all diplomatic, economic, and trade channels and levers available: Use ongoing trade and investment discussions with Egypt to secure Alaa’s immediate and unconditional release, including conditioning any development, economic, or trade agreements between the UK and Egypt. Laila Soueif’s death or further decline would have devastating consequences for Egypt’s international reputation and its relations with the UK.
- Engage at the highest level: Commit personally, alongside the Foreign Secretary, to take direct and active steps in advocating for Alaa’s release. Only decisive action at the highest levels of government is likely to yield results.
- Demand consular access: The UK must insist on having consular access to Alaa, a fundamental right under international law that Egypt continues to flout.
- Coordinate international advocacy: Work with allied governments, institutions, and international organizations to amplify calls for Alaa’s release and apply unified pressure on Egyptian authorities.
Alaa’s case is a litmus test of the UK’s commitment to human rights. With his mother’s hunger strike entering a critical phase, we cannot afford further delay. We urge your government to act decisively and without hesitation to ensure Alaa’s release. Failure to do so risks not only his life but also the UK’s integrity as a champion of human rights.
We stand ready to provide any additional information or support necessary in this urgent matter.
Signatories:
Access Now
ARTICLE 19
Digital Action
Electronic Frontier Foundation
INSM
Meedan
Red Line for Gulf (RL4G)
SMEX
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