Freeing a British-Egyptian pro-democracy activist is the “number one issue” and senior UK officials will “do all we can”, according to the Foreign Secretary.
David Lammy said Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer has made representations over the case of Alaa Abd El-Fattah with his Egyptian counterpart in recent days while the national security adviser (NSA), Jonathan Powell, also visited the country.
Mr Abd El-Fattah, 43, has been detained in Egypt since September 29 2019 and in December 2021 was sentenced to five years in prison after being accused of spreading false news.
He has spent most of the past decade in prison because of his criticism of Egypt’s rulers and is unable to see his young son who lives in Brighton.
His mother, Laila Soueif, 68, has spent more than 100 days on hunger strike and has vowed not to eat until he is freed.
Campaigners last month urged Sir Keir to do more to help free Mr Abd El-Fattah and argued his direct intervention with Egyptian president Abdel Fattah El-Sisi could resolve matters.
Speaking at Foreign Office questions, Independent MP John McDonnell (Hayes and Harlington) said: “Could I ask the Foreign Secretary to update us on the representations that he and the Prime Minister have made to the president of Egypt to secure the release of Alaa Abd El-Fattah?
“His mother Laila is with us in the gallery today and has gone beyond 100 days on hunger strike, and we’re desperate to secure the release of Alaa.”
Mr Lammy replied: “The Prime Minister wrote to President Sisi on December 26 and January 8.
“The national security adviser, Jonathan Powell, was in Egypt on January 2. I met the Egyptian foreign minister in Saudi Arabia on Sunday.
“This remains our number one issue. We have raised it on every single occasion and we continue to press for clemency, for understanding and for his release.”
Green Party MP Sian Berry (Brighton Pavilion) asked Mr Lammy when he expects a “substantial response” from the Egyptian government.
She also asked: “Can he confirm that he will not travel to Egypt unless he is confident that he can return with Alaa?”
Mr Lammy replied: “Our relationship with Egypt is multifaceted.”
He pointed to the importance of Egypt in trying to secure a hostage deal between Israel and Hamas in Gaza, adding on Mr Abd El-Fattah’s case: “I raised this on Sunday. I raised it on December 20.
“I have pressed for Alaa’s release and we will continue to do all we can, the Prime Minister and the NSA. In the end, this is in the hands of the Egyptians.”
Eilidh Macpherson, Amnesty International UK’s individuals at risk campaign manager, said: “It’s absolutely right that the Foreign Secretary is talking about the importance of securing Alaa’s release, but we’d like to see him doing more.
“For example, we’d urge Mr Lammy to travel to Cairo to personally lobby the Egyptian authorities for Alaa’s release.
“Surely the dire predicament of a UK national arbitrarily detained merely for expressing his peaceful views warrants this extra effort from the Foreign Secretary?”
