CPJ, 49 others urge release of Egyptian-British journalist

In a March 4 joint letter led by the Committee to Protect Journalists, 50 prominent human rights leaders, Nobel Prize laureates, writers, and public figures have called on Egyptian President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi to grant a presidential pardon to Egyptian-British writer Alaa Abdelfattah.

The letter highlights that Abdelfattah has spent nearly a decade behind bars and now faces an additional two years in detention — despite provisions in Egyptian law that should have secured his release. His continued imprisonment has not only defied the expectations of his family and human rights organizations but also violates Egyptian law.

The signatories urge el-Sisi to reunite Abdelfattah with his family, particularly as his mother, Professor Laila Soueif — a respected 69-year-old Egyptian academic — has been on a hunger strike in support of her son’s release for more than 150 days and is facing grave health consequences.

“The world is watching, and history will not forget this act of humanity. As families across Egypt gather each evening in Ramadan to break their fast, one mother refuses to eat. With each passing day, her strength fades—her only prayer is to see her son free,” the letter said.

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