- The President of the United States spoke with Egyptian officials about Alaa Abd El-Fattah, an activist who was being held in prison.
- Top White House officials stated that the US is doing everything possible to ensure Abd el-Fattah’s release.
- Abd el-Fattah’s sister traveled to Egypt to protest his release at the UN climate conference.
The case of Alaa Abd El-Fattah, an activist who was a symbol of the 2011 uprising and has been in Egypt for nearly a decade, was the subject of President Joe Biden’s “intensive” discussions with Egypt’s government, according to a White House official.
According to a White House transcript, Jake Sullivan, President’s National Security Advisor, said that he was doing all he could to secure Biden’s release, as well as other political prisoners, aboard Air Force One on Saturday morning. This statement came after Biden’s speech at UN climate summit in Egypt.
Biden didn’t mention human rights during his address, though the White House said the president had extended discussions with Egyptian President Abdel-Fattah El-Sisi on the sidelines of COP27, as this year’s United Nations’ “conference of the parties” climate summit is called.
Sullivan stated that the US didn’t have any information on Abd el-Fattah’s health, as he went on a hunger strike in April. Drinking water has been banned before COP27 to protest what he and human-rights advocates say is unjust imprisonment and cruel detention conditions.
Abd el-Fattah’s family stated that he is in danger of dying. In protest of what they called an “unspecified medical intervention” by Egyptian authorities, the family has been protesting in recent days.
At the UN summit’s start, Abd el-Fattah was joined by Sanaa Seif, Abd el-Fattah’s sister. This brought attention to the crackdown on political dissent in Egypt. Seif joined climate activists in criticizing governments that imprison climate and human-rights advocates throughout the Middle East, Latin America and Southeast Asia. The protest she participated in was one of only a few to mobilise at the COP27 conference venue, which is expected to last two weeks.
Seif told reporters Tuesday that he felt like Alaa won the symbolic battle through your support, ” whatever happens.” “I just pray that his body doesn’t get sacrificed.”
Abd el-Fattah was released by the UK Prime Minister Rishi, according to his family. Andrew Mitchell, the UK’s foreign minister, confirmed that they had discussed the matter, a spokesperson for a group that worked on Abd el-Fattah’s release stated.
The Egyptian government denied any mistreatment. A member of the presidential-pardon board stated this summer that Abd el-Fattah was one of those being considered for possible freedom. Al-Ahram, a newspaper owned by the Egyptian government, reported.
Seif’s activism has raised awareness about Egypt’s human rights record, which advocacy groups claim is marred by thousands of unjustified arrests and imprisonments that took place since the 2011 revolution that overthrew former President Hosni Murabah.
Amnesty International Reports indicate that this was done in the lead-up COP271,540 people were detained and interrogated for exercising freedom of speech and association. Fattah al-Sisi made the decision to reactivate presidential-pardon committee. 766 prisoners were also released by the Egyptian government.
The COP27 conference at Sharm el-Sheikh is a resort city located along the Red Sea and spanning long stretches on highways. Protests are absent. Some websites, such as those of Human Rights Watch or Al Jazeera were blocked from the beginning of the conference. However, the latter is now accessible. There are Reports are also availableThe official COP27 app has been infected with spyware.
Demonstrations are technically permissible, however they are restricted to one building in the sprawling conference centre and require advance registration and notice.
During a press conference held on Tuesday, Amr Darwish, an Egyptian lawmaker, criticized Seif’s incitement to foreign countries against Egypt. He also called Abd el-Fattah a criminal prisoner. UN security then escorted him out.
Catherine Boudreau/Insider
Another Egyptian, who claimed to work as a human-rights defender in Egypt, raised concerns about a double standard in Egypt for prisoners with foreign passports such as Abd el-Fattah who has dual Egyptian and British citizenship. He said that any foreign intervention in Egypt’s human-rights reform would be a failure and harm to the country.
Seif claimed that her family has tried all legal avenues in Egypt to obtain the release of her brother. Seif claimed that her family is among the thousands of Egyptians held political prisoners, or were. They can only exert pressure on world leaders to keep them in line, Seif said, adding that she is afraid her life may be at risk.
She said, “After COP I don’t know whether I’ll still be alive or dead.”
A previous version of this story appeared November 8, 2022.
