Cairo: Egyptian President Abdel-Fattah al-Sissi has issued a pardon for prominent activist Alaa Abdel-Fattah, as stated in a recent presidential announcement. The unexpected move has led to speculation that the activist’s release may be linked to a potential exchange involving an Egyptian national detained in the United Kingdom.
According to Ghana News Agency, the presidential statement noted that al-Sissi had pardoned several convicted individuals, including Abdel-Fattah, after completing the necessary constitutional and legal procedures. The list of pardoned individuals comprised six names in total. Abdel-Fattah, a significant figure in Egypt’s 2011 uprising against former President Hosny Mubarak, was initially expected to be released in September 2024 but remained imprisoned following his 2013 arrest during a protest against restrictive demonstration laws.
His family has consistently claimed that the charges against Abdel-Fattah, primarily related to disseminating false information, were politically motivated. Despite being granted British citizenship in 2021, Egyptian authorities have not recognized this status, disregarding numerous requests for consular protection from British leaders. The Guardian reported that President al-Sissi had declined a call from British Prime Minister Keir Starmer concerning Abdel-Fattah, an issue that had also surfaced during the 2022 COP27 climate conference in Egypt.
Recent developments suggest that a diplomatic conflict between Cairo and London might have influenced the pardon. A supporter of the Egyptian government was recently detained in London after clashing with protesters outside the Egyptian embassy. Egyptian Foreign Minister Badr Abdel-Atti has reportedly sought the individual’s release, fueling speculation about a possible exchange involving Abdel-Fattah.
The news of Abdel-Fattah’s potential release has elicited emotional responses from his family. His sister Sanaa, currently in Cairo, expressed disbelief and relief on social media, while another sister commented on her emotional turmoil. Abdel-Fattah’s release would be significant in Egypt, where an estimated 60,000 individuals are detained for political reasons. Despite the strict ban on demonstrations and reports of abuse in prisons, some activists, including human rights advocate Patrick George Zaki, have been granted pardons.
Abdel-Fattah has engaged in multiple hunger strikes during his incarceration, the most recent in response to his mother’s hospitalization in London. His mother had also protested his detention by going on hunger strike.