Egypt's most prominent political prisoner is freed with a presidential pardon

BarcelonaThe Egyptian activist Alaa Abd el-Fattah, one of Egypt's most prominent political prisoners, was released from prison on Monday night after spending six years. Fattah, 43, was pardoned by President Abd al-Fattah al-Sisi, reportedly following a request from the National Council for Human Rights, and has now been reunited with his family.

The activist released a video showing himself at home after his release, smiling broadly and celebrating with his sister and his mother, Laila Soueif, who went on a long hunger strike during her son's imprisonment. "Despite our great joy, the greatest joy will be when there are no [political] prisoners," Soueif said. "I still can't comprehend that this is real," said Sanaa Seif, Abd al-Fattah's sister, according to the BBC.

In 2014, Abd el-Fattah was sentenced to 15 years in prison for protesting without a permit, a sentence later reduced to five years. He was released in 2019 but remained on parole and sentenced to five years in prison after being found guilty of "spreading false news" for sharing a post about a prisoner who died from torture. Two weeks ago, al-Sisi ordered authorities to consider requests from the National Human Rights Council for the release of Abd el-Fattah and six others.

The activist's family noted that he was supposed to have been released in September 2024, but the two years he spent in pretrial detention were not counted by the Egyptian authorities. It was in protest of this extension that Abd el-Fattah's mother went on hunger strike.

Abd el-Fattah, who obtained British citizenship through his mother in 2021, comes from a family of well-known activists and intellectuals who have launched several campaigns for his release. His mother met with British Prime Minister Keir Starmer earlier that year to lobby for her son's freedom. "I very much welcome the news that Alaa Abd el-Fattah has received a presidential pardon," British Foreign Office Minister Yvette Cooper said on Tuesday. "I am grateful to President al-Sisi for this decision. We hope that Alaa will be able to return to the UK and reunite with his family."

His mother, Soueif, stepped up her campaign in September 2024, when she hoped for his release due to the time he had spent in pre-trial detention. Prosecutors argued that he should remain in custody until January 2027. Soueif carried out a long hunger strike in the UK, ending it only after pleas from his family as his health deteriorated significantly. Starmer promised he would do everything possible to secure his release. Abd el-Fattah has also carried out multiple hunger strikes in custody, most recently in early September, to protest his imprisonment and in solidarity with his mother.