CAN Renews Call For The Release Of Egyptian-British Prisoner Of Conscience Alaa Abdel El-Fattah

Alaa Abdel el-Fattah, the Egyptian-British blogger, writer and political activist, remains unjustly detained in Egypt despite serving his unjust five year prison term, after a trial that was described as marred by numerous fair trial and due process violations.

Alaa went on hunger strike in 2022 during the United Nations climate talks in Egypt, COP27, and now his mother, Dr. Laila Soueif, a university professor and human rights activist, followed suit by going on hunger strike in September 2024 when her son completed his prison sentence and he was not set free. Eleven UN experts had deemed that his right to a fair trial and due process had been violated during the process of his sentencing. Dr Soueif has now been hospitalised and her life, after being on hunger strike for more than 150 days, is at imminent risk according to her doctors at St Thomas’ hospital in London.

Before and during COP27, CAN and its allies demanded the release of all individuals arbitrarily detained for politically motivated reasons in Egypt, including Alaa, and again highlighted his case ahead of COP29 in Azerbaijan, as well as those of others who have been murdered, jailed and are experiencing repression for expressing critical views of their governments.

Tasneem Essop, Executive Director of Climate Action Network International said: “The Paris Agreement reaffirms the critical importance of a vibrant civil society and respect of human rights. Climate Action Network is deeply concerned about the declining health and the risk to life of Dr Laila Soueif due to her hunger strike. We demand the immediate release of Alaa Abdel el-Fattah who has served his term already and should have been released. There is no justifiable reason to continue keeping him in prison. We call on the governments of Egypt and the UK to ensure his swift and just release. We also call for the release of all those unjustly and arbitrarily held, including after unfair trials. We reaffirm that there is no climate justice without human rights.”

Amanda Kistler, Acting President of the Center for International Environmental Law (CIEL) said: “CIEL joins the call for the immediate release of Alaa Abd el-Fattah and all political prisoners in Egypt and across the globe. COP may have moved on, but the international spotlight still shines on Egypt, demanding that it uphold human rights and protect open and safe civic space before, during, and after climate negotiations. Our calls for justice remain: Egypt, and all governments, have the responsibility to protect human rights and environmental defenders and immediately halt violence and arbitrary detention against them. There can be no climate justice without human rights.”

Ann Harrison, Amnesty International’s Climate Justice Policy Adviser, said: “Alaa Abd el-Fattah is a prominent Egyptian-British activist who has never given up on his principles despite the terrible and vindictive ordeals that he has gone through at the hands of the Egyptian authorities, including torture and prolonged arbitrary detention. He must be released immediately so that he can return to his family and start to rebuild his - and their - life. Amnesty International will continue to campaign strenuously for him, and for others arbitrarily detained in Egypt. There is no climate justice without human rights.”
 

For more information and to support the campaign organised by Alaa’s family please visit: https://freealaa.net/

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