British Foreign Secretary Visits Egypt Amid Calls for Activist's Release

David Lammy expected to address the detention of Alaa Abd El-Fattah with Egyptian officials

The family of British-Egyptian pro-democracy activist Alaa Abd El-Fattah, currently imprisoned in Egypt, express hope that the visiting UK Foreign Secretary David Lammy will advocate for his release.

Abd El-Fattah, 43, has been incarcerated since September 2019 and was sentenced to five years in 2021 on charges of spreading false news.

His imprisonment follows his vocal criticism of the Egyptian government.

His mother, Laila Soueif, has been on a hunger strike for 115 days in the hopes of securing his freedom.

The family has called for Lammy to expedite Abd El-Fattah's return to the UK during his visit scheduled for Thursday.

This visit marks a significant diplomatic engagement, during which Lammy is expected to press Egyptian officials for Abd El-Fattah’s release, labeled by the UK government as a priority issue.

In recent parliamentary discussions, Lammy affirmed the British government's commitment to securing his release.

Additionally, engagements between Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer and Egyptian counterparts have taken place, alongside a visit to Egypt by UK national security adviser Jonathan Powell.

Beyond the focus on Abd El-Fattah, Lammy's agenda includes discussions on irregular migration and Egypt's mediatory role in Middle Eastern conflicts, particularly in the context of the Israel-Hamas ceasefire.

The visit will also feature efforts to strengthen trade and investment relations during the UK-Egypt Association Council meeting.

Human rights campaigners have previously urged the UK government to impose trade sanctions on Egypt to ensure Abd El-Fattah’s release, highlighting the international dimension of this diplomatic mission.