Egyptian authorities deny access to lawyer of hunger-striking activist
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After a seven-month period during which he consumed only "100 calories a day," the 40-year-old British-Egyptian stopped drinking water on Sunday as world leaders gathered for the opening of the global climate summit in Egypt.
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Egyptian hunger striker Alaa Abdel Fattah
Egyptian hunger striker Alaa Abdel Fattah's lawyer, Khaled Ali, told reporters on Sunday he was prohibited for a second time in days from visiting his client.
Recent reports revealed that the health of the 40-year-old political prisoner has been severely deteriorating since he stopped drinking water on November 6, the day COP27 launched.
Abdel Fattah, who began his partial hunger strike on April 2, 2022, consumed only "100 calories a day."
He is currently serving a five-year sentence for "spreading false news" over reposting a Facebook post about police brutality and has been leading headlines during the UN summit, intensifying international attention on Egypt's human rights record.
A key figure of the 2011 uprising that toppled Hosni Mubarak, Abdel Fattah gained British citizenship this year through his UK-born mother, Laila Soueif.
Friends and family of the activists say they are concerned about Abdel Fattah's health and issued several appeals to the international community to push for his release.
Alaa's unbelievably courageous sister @sana2 speaking at #Cop27: she has been imprisoned 3 times in Egypt for struggling to #FreeAlaa
— Free Alaa (@FreedomForAlaa) November 9, 2022
"Whatever happens: Alaa has won. The symbolic battle has been won by your show of support. I just hope his body & he is not sacrificed for it" pic.twitter.com/n3QAPuVlxb
His lawyer Khaled Ali complained that prison authorities did not allow him to see his client because his permit was "invalid" because it was dated the day before.
Such passes generally have validity for "one week", he said.
Ali received another permit on Sunday but was denied entry for a second time.
"I picked up the permit from the public prosecutor's office in Cairo at 3:00 pm (1300 GMT), and I went as quickly as possible" to the prison, he wrote on Facebook.
As soon as he arrived at Wadi Al-Natroun prison at around 4:45 pm, Ali was forced to wait in the facility - yet to no avail, as an officer informed him an hour later that "the prison was closed."
معلومة:
— Khaled Ali (@Khaledali251) November 9, 2022
علاء عبد الفتاح صدر ضده الحكم عشان عمل شير لبوست مكتوب فيه خبر عن سجين مات فى سجن العقرب ٢ من التعذيب
والنيابة قالت هو مات فعلاً بس مش من التعذيب، وصدر الحكم ضد علاء بزعم نشره أخبار كاذبة .
وطلبنا صورة التحقيقات والقضية رفضوا تصويرها. pic.twitter.com/EnaGxMq44u
The topic of Abdel Fattah's detainment was raised during bilateral discussions with Egyptian President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi at the climate summit.
On November 8, Abdel Fattah's sister, Sanaa Seif, was confronted by pro-Sisi attendees during two press conferences this week.
Today at #COP27 Alaa Abd El Fattah's sister Sana was speaking at a press briefing addressing the unjust incarceration of her brother and demanding his immediate release
— Dharini (@dharinipart) November 8, 2022
She was confronted directly by an Egyptian government rep who had to be escorted out by UN security #FreeAlaa pic.twitter.com/Xm28c9IHKy
His other sister Mona Seif submitted a pardon request on Friday.
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