On 29 September, when Alaa's five-year sentence came to an end, the Egyptian authorities did not release him, refusing to consider the two years he spent in pre-trial detention as "time served".
This statement was originally published on cihrs.org on 4 November 2024.
Fifteen British, Egyptian and international organisations have called on UK Foreign Secretary David Lammy to put a hold on any new economic or financial partnerships with Egypt, unless and until British national and writer Alaa Abd el-Fattah is freed.
The British government has been seeking Alaa’s release since 2022 but on 29 September, when his five-year sentence came to an end, the Egyptian authorities did not release him, refusing to consider the two years he spent in pre-trial detention as “time served”. The FCDO states that the Egyptian government “does not recognise Mr El-Fattah as a British national”.
Meanwhile Egypt is vigorously pursuing new investments and financial support from the UK. On 3 October, the Egyptian Prime Minister’s office announced that he had discussed with British ministers the idea of an UK-Egypt investment conference to “pump British investments”. The UK is the largest single foreign investor in Egypt, and the annual trade between the two countries is around £4.5 billion.
In a joint letter sent on 1 November, the organisations called on David Lammy to, “insist that Alaa be released before there can be any further discussion of closer economic ties. This would send a powerful message to the Egyptian government that their mistreatment of a British national is hampering the normal course of economic cooperation and the closer partnership that Egypt is pursuing, and would create an incentive to Egypt to resolve the case.” In opposition, David Lammy was a strong supporter of the campaign for Alaa’s release, and called for the previous Conservative government to progress the case by using the “tremendous leverage” of Britain’s large trading relationship with Egypt.
Alaa Abd el-Fattah has been imprisoned almost continuously since 2014. His mother, Laila Soueif, has been on hunger strike since September in protest at her son’s continued imprisonment, telling the BBC that, “I’m keeping it up until Alaa is free or I’m taken to hospital in a terrible state. His life has been on hold for 11 years. It can’t go on.” Last month she met a new All-Party Group in the British parliament, chaired by Conservative MP Alicia Kearns, that is advocating for British nationals arbitrarily detained abroad.
As long as Alaa remains imprisoned, the 15 organisations are calling on the British government to put a hold on any new:
- Agreements on financial or development packages for Egypt;
- Bilateral trade and investment agreements or MOUs, visits and conferences;
- Support for defence and security sales; or
- UK government-supported investment decisions.
Click here for the full text of the letter sent to Foreign Secretary David Lammy on 1 November 2024
