This is the second time this year that Soueif’s health has collapsed due to her hunger strike. Now, her condition is dire. Her blood sugar is dangerously low, and every day, her family fears it could be her last. Doctors say it’s a miracle she’s still alive.
Her protest is a call for accountability—a demand that both governments uphold the rule of law and protect human rights, not only in rhetoric, but through action.
Late last week, after an 18-month investigation, the United Nations Working Group on Arbitrary Detention (UNWGAD) issued its Opinion on Abd el-Fattah’s case, stating that he is being held unlawfully by the Egyptian government. That Egypt will not provide the United Kingdom with consular access to its citizen further violates the country’s obligations under international law.
As stated in a letter to British Prime Minister Keir Starmer by 21 organizations, including EFF, the UK must now use every tool it has at its disposal to ensure that Alaa Abd el-Fattah is released immediately.