Alaa Abd El-Fattah Returns to UK After Presidential Pardon, Ending Nearly 12 Years of Detention.
London/Cairo:
Egyptian-British activist, writer and blogger Alaa Abd El-Fattah has returned to the United Kingdom after spending nearly 12 years in and out of prison in Egypt, following a presidential pardon granted by Egyptian President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi.
UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer confirmed Abd El-Fattah’s arrival on Friday, describing his return as a “profound relief” after years of international campaigning for his freedom. Starmer said the case had been a priority for his government since taking office.
“I want to pay tribute to Alaa’s family and to all those that have worked and campaigned for this moment,” Starmer said. “Alaa’s case has been a top priority for my government since we came to office. I’m grateful to President Sisi for his decision to grant the pardon.”
Abd El-Fattah, one of Egypt’s most prominent political activists, was among six prisoners pardoned by President el-Sisi earlier this year following sustained pressure from international human rights organizations, foreign governments and advocacy campaigns. His release followed a series of hunger strikes that renewed global attention on his case.
A central figure during Egypt’s 2011 uprising against former president Hosni Mubarak, Abd El-Fattah later became a vocal critic of el-Sisi, who came to power after a military takeover in 2013. His activism and writings made him one of the most high-profile critics of the Egyptian government.
In 2014, Abd El-Fattah was sentenced to 15 years in prison on charges including spreading false news. He was temporarily released in 2019, only to receive another five-year sentence later that same year. Egyptian authorities have consistently denied holding political prisoners, maintaining that detainees are jailed solely for violating the law.
Although he was pardoned in September, Abd El-Fattah initially remained under a travel ban, a restriction commonly imposed on freed detainees in Egypt. Early on Friday, he posted a brief and cryptic message on X hinting at his departure: “Is it possible, kids, that we will say bye?” Hours later, it was confirmed that he had left Egypt and arrived safely in the UK.
The British government had repeatedly raised concerns about Abd El-Fattah’s health and prison conditions, while also facing criticism from activists who argued that London had not exerted enough pressure on Cairo, a close ally of both the UK and the United States.
His mother, Laila Soueif, confirmed his safe arrival in a social media post, writing: “Praise be to God, Alaa reached London safely.”
Abd El-Fattah’s return marks the end of a long and highly symbolic case that became a focal point for international debates over human rights, political dissent and freedom of expression in Egypt.
