The family of a British-Egyptian pro-democracy activist who went on a hunger strike in an Egyptian prison say they have received confirmation he is still alive.
Alaa Abd El-Fattah has been on a hunger strike against his detention and prison conditions for six months, consuming only 100 calories a day.
Last week, he stepped up his hunger strike and stopped taking water to coincide with the start of the COP27 Climate Change Summit in the Red Sea resort town of Sharm El-Sheikh.
“I’m so relieved. We just got a jail note to my mum, Alaa is alive, he says he’s drinking water again from November 12,” Mr Abd El’s sister tweeted. -Fattah, Sanaa Seif.
“He says he’ll say more as soon as he can. It’s definitely his handwriting. Proof of life, finally. Why did they hide this from us for 2 days?!”
The 40-year-old man’s family and lawyer had made several trips to the prison where he is being held northwest of Cairo, but had received no news of his condition.
Prime Minister Rishi Sunak discussed the fate of Mr Abd El-Fattah with Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi during the UN climate talks.
Foreign Secretary James Cleverly told BBC Radio 4’s Today program that the government was monitoring his case “very, very closely”.
“This is a matter that the Foreign Office has been raising for several years in support of him. Egyptians do not recognize him as a British citizen,” he said.
“We do not agree with them on this point and we have highlighted this disagreement to them at all levels up to the Prime Minister included in his discussions with President Sisi.”
‘Days of medical intervention after the escalation of the hunger strike
On Thursday, Egypt’s public prosecutor said Mr Abd El-Fattah was in good health after the family said they were informed a medical procedure was performed.
The nature of the intervention was not specified, but his family expressed fears that prison officials might force-feed the activist, which they say would amount to torture.
Last week, an Egyptian MP was removed from a press conference about Mr. Abd El-Fattah after he asked if he was a political prisoner and shouted at Mr. Abd El-Fattah’s sister.
Celebrities speak out for the activist
Mr Abd El-Fattah was sentenced to five years in prison in December last year after being accused of spreading false information on a Facebook post he shared about human rights abuses in Egyptian prisons in 2019.
The Activist’s Family stepped up their campaign for his release ahead of COP27 and also organized a sit-in outside the British Foreign Office.
Celebrities who have expressed their support include Dame Judi Dench, Dame Emma Thompson, Mark Ruffalo, Carey Mulligan and Khalid Abdella.
Climate activist Greta Thunberg refused to join COP27 because she did not agree with the human rights violations in the country and was seen at a solidarity demonstration with Mr. Abd El-Fattah.
