Nobel laureates and activists have urged Egyptian President Sisi to release imprisoned activist Alaa Abdel Fattah. The petition, signed by fifty individuals including notable authors, emphasizes the humanitarian aspect of granting clemency. Abdel Fattah’s mother has been on hunger strike for 156 days, raising heightened concerns for her health and advocating for her son’s release amid ongoing discussions at the political level.
A coalition of Nobel Prize laureates and distinguished activists has petitioned Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi for the release of British-Egyptian activist Alaa Abdel Fattah. This initiative, reported by the Committee to Protect Journalists, includes fifty signatories, among whom are notable figures like Nobel laureates Narges Mohammadi and Orhan Pamuk. They urge for clemency towards the 43-year-old writer and human rights advocate, who is currently imprisoned.
In a poignant letter, the signatories, which include renowned authors Arundhati Roy and Elif Shafak along with representatives from various human rights organizations such as Reporters Without Borders and PEN International, demand a presidential pardon. They articulated, “A presidential pardon is not just justice; it is an act of humanity. Let history remember not a tragedy, but a reunion: Alaa free, holding his son, and Laila Soueif breaking her fast with the family she so longs to be with.”
Alaa Abdel Fattah played a vital role in Egypt’s 2011 revolution, which resulted in the ousting of President Hosni Mubarak. However, he was sentenced to five years in prison in 2019 on charges of “spreading false news” regarding alleged torture within Egyptian detention facilities. His mother, Laila Soueif, has been on hunger strike for 156 days in protest, and she remains hospitalized in London due to severe health complications stemming from her prolonged strike.
British Prime Minister Keir Starmer addressed Abdel Fattah’s situation during a recent discussion with President Sisi, and this has given Soueif a sense of cautious optimism regarding her son’s potential release. Notably, Egypt’s presidential pardons committee, which was reinstated in 2022, has previously granted amnesty to other significant political prisoners, including Abdel Fattah’s legal counsel, Mohamed al-Baqer.
In conclusion, the collective call for the release of Alaa Abdel Fattah by Nobel laureates and prominent activists highlights the ongoing human rights concerns in Egypt. This appeal not only underscores the urgent need for humanitarian action but also reflects the broader struggle for rights and freedoms in the region. The health crisis of his mother emphasizes the dire circumstances affecting their family, while global attention continues to mount around Abdel Fattah’s case.
Original Source: newscentral.africa
