Alaa Abdel Fattah, the British-Egyptian activist, has been freed and reunited with his family after almost six years in Egyptian prison.
One of the country’s most noted political prisoners, he was pardoned by President Abdul Fattah al-Sisi on Monday, after a request from the National Council for Human Rights.
Video footage shows Abdel Fattah, 43, joyfully celebrating with his mother and sister in Giza, demonstrating the emotional relief that his release has brought to his family.
His mother, Laila Soueif, who undertook extensive hunger strikes during his incarceration, expressed mixed emotions upon his release, remarking, Despite our great joy, the biggest joy is when there are no political prisoners.
Abdel Fattah was released from Wadi al-Natrun prison on a day that his family had hoped for his release, as they have contended for years that he was due to be released in September 2024 based on the time he spent in pre-trial detention, which was not acknowledged by authorities.
The activist was arrested in 2019 amid a government crackdown on dissent and sentenced to five years for spreading false news related to a prisoner torture case.
Two weeks ago, Sisi instructed officials to evaluate petitions for Abdel Fattah’s release, in light of family welfare considerations articulated by the National Council for Human Rights.
His release has been a significant focal point for human rights advocates, further enhanced by the widespread parliamentary support for his case in the UK.
Alaa rose to prominence during the 2011 uprising that led to the ousting of long-time president Hosni Mubarak. Since then, he has faced a lengthy detention under an administration that has been accused of unprecedented repression against advocates of dissent.
Despite obtaining British citizenship in 2021, Abdel Fattah has not been permitted any consular visits by British officials. In May, a UN panel ruled that his detention was arbitrary and criticized his treatment under Egyptian law.
