UK MPs seek release of British-Egyptian activist

5th Jul 2022 | Source: BBC

Alaa Abdel Fattah, pictured here in 2019, has been on hunger strike since April

A letter signed by 34 British MPs and Lords has been delivered to the Egyptian embassy expressing their opposition to the imprisonment of a British national in Egypt.

The group hopes that Alaa Abdel Fattah's "release will indeed be secured soon, and that he will be allowed to travel to the United Kingdom".

Egyptian Foreign Minister Sameh Shoukry is expected to visit London for talks with UK Foreign Secretary Liz Truss.

This comes after Ms Truss confirmed to parliament on last month that she "is working very hard to secure [Alaa’s] release" and would be bringing it up with Mr Shoukry at an upcoming visit to London.

Monday will be Mr Alaa’s 94th day of hunger strike.

It will also be his sister’s 23rd day of hunger strike.

"I have now lost 8.6% of my bodyweight. I started this strike because I wanted to shine some small light on what Alaa is going through. And I can tell you: I’m exhausted, I’m weak. But I know that Alaa is not going to give up, and we are never going to give up on him either," Mona Seif said.