At COP27, Rishi Sunak to address concern of writer Alaa Abd El-Fattah imprisoned in Egypt

British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak is all set to raise the issue of writer Alaa Abd El-Fattah in Egypt at the COP27 summit. The writer, who is a British-Egyptian pro-democracy activist, has been in prison for most of the last decade. The BBC reported that on the first day of COP27, Fattah began a "hunger strike"  and gave up drinking water as well. On November 2nd, the BBC reported that Fattah has taken in just 100 calories to push the Egyptian authorities to allow British consular access. 

After a letter released by Fattah's Family, Sunak asserted that he intends to raise the issue about the writer/political activist's imprisonment during the UN's climate conference, calling it a "priority for the British government." The UK Prime Minister also assured that the family will get conclusive answers by the end of the summit. Speaking on the letter, Fattah's sister Sanaa Seif urged the Prime Minister to acknowledge the "urgency" of the situation.

'A priority for the British government': Sunak pens letter to the family 

Calling COP27 an 'opportunity to raise the issue with the Egyptian leadership', Sunak asserted in the letter that the case is " a priority for the British government, both as a human rights defender and as a British national." Addressing Fattah’s sisters in the letter, the UK PM informed that the Minister of State Foreign Commonwealth & Development Affairs Minister for Middle East "Lord Ahmad" would update the family on negotiations after the summit. 

Getting assurance from the Prime Minister, in an interview with Sky News, Sanaa Seif said, “It’s good that we have a commitment from the Prime Minister’s office, but what worries me is he said we would get confirmation after the conference.” She further stated that the UK PM needs to understand the “urgency” of the situation. Seif went on to say that she is “worried that he (Alaa Abd El-Fattah) could die while the conference is happening and while the Prime Minister is over there,” and urged the British PM and the British government to be “responsible for getting the proof of life.” 

The British-Egyptian writer and political activist who was also a monumental figure during the Arab Spring in 2011 has spent most of the last decade in a prison in Cairo. As per the reports by BBC, under the authoritarian regime of President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi, who rose to the power in 2014, writer Alaa Abd El-Fattah was sentenced to five years of imprisonment for allegedly "broadcasting false news." Since then, many human rights and climate activists have been protesting for his release.

Urging people to keep her brother's story alive, Sanaa Seif took to social media to inform that Fattah had his "last glass of water in prison". She tweeted about the same and said, "My brother just had his last glass of water in prison. Please keep his story alive, it's not over. He can be saved. This afternoon I'm flying to Sharm, I have a civil society pass. The Egyptian regime claims civic space exists in #COP27, I'll be testing that. #FreeAlaa."

Image: AP