Jailed Egypt hunger striker says ‘doing well’ in letter

Cairo, Egypt (AFP):

Jailed British-Egyptian activist Alaa Abdel Fattah has written he is “doing well” and is taking liquids after fears rose for his health amid a months-long hunger strike.

Abdel Fattah, who consumed “only 100 calories a day” for seven months, intensified his strike as the COP27 climate summit opened on November 6 in the Egyptian resort town of Sharm el-Sheikh.

His sister Sanaa Seif on Monday welcomed a letter he addressed to his family as “proof of life, at last”.

The activist’s lawyer Khaled Ali, a former presidential candidate, was denied access when attempting to visit Abdel Fattah at the Wadi al-Natroun prison, despite saying he had been issued with the necessary permits.

He and Abdel Fattah’s mother Laila Soueif were handed the letter on Monday when they returned to the prison a third time.

In the letter, “dated November 12, he writes he is doing well, under medical supervision, and has began drinking water,” Ali wrote on Facebook.

The activist’s sister Seif confirmed on Twitter that “it’s definitely his handwriting,” but asked “why did they hold this back from us for two days?!”

Watched at COP27 

Abdel Fattah, a key figure in the 2011 uprising that toppled longtime dictator Hosni Mubarak, is serving a five-year prison sentence for “spreading false news” by sharing a Facebook post about police brutality.

He has been leading headlines since the UN climate talks began last week in Egypt.

Attending the summit to campaign for her brother’s release, Seif was last week heckled by pro-government attendees, who called her brother a “criminal”.

Since the beginning of the UN climate summit, activists have complained about “being questioned” and feared they would “be followed,” as rights groups warned against draconian surveillance measures.

Presidential pardons 

International pressure has mounted on President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi to release detained activists.

Biden welcomed Sisi’s reactivation of a dormant presidential pardon committee, which has facilitated the release of several high-profile political prisoners this year.

Abdel Fattah’s other sister Mona Seif has announced the family had submitted a new request for presidential pardon.

According to Egyptian television journalist Amr Adib, the pardon would be in “the interest of Egypt first and foremost”.