Responding to the news that President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi has issued a pardon for Egyptian-British activist Alaa Abdel Fattah, along with five other prisoners, Amnesty International’s Senior Director for Research, Advocacy, Policy and Campaigns, Erika Guevara Rosas said:
“Today’s presidential pardon for Alaa Abdel Fattah and the prospect of him finally being reunited with his family are a welcome, but long overdue, relief.
“His pardon ends a grave injustice and is a testament to the tireless efforts of his family and lawyers, including his courageous mother, Laila Soueif, and activists all over the world who have been relentlessly demanding his release over the past six years. We hope that his release will take place soon.
His pardon ends a grave injustice and is a testament to the tireless efforts of his family and lawyers, including his courageous mother, Laila Soueif, and activists all over the world who have been relentlessly demanding his release over the past six years
Erika Guevara Rosas, Amnesty International
“Alaa Abdel Fattah is a prisoner of conscience who was targeted for his peaceful activism. His pardon will not erase the ordeal he has endured in detention over the past six years. The Egyptian authorities should follow up on today’s decision by releasing all those solely detained for exercising their human rights and allowing them to reunite with their loved ones.”
Background:
Alaa Abdel Fattah is an Egyptian-British activist, writer, and software developer. He rose to prominence during the 2011 Egyptian revolution and has been repeatedly targeted by Egyptian authorities for his peaceful activism and criticism of the government.
His most recent arrest was on 29 September 2019, amidst a widespread crackdown on protests. In December 2021, he was sentenced to five years in prison by an Emergency State Security Court on spurious charges of “spreading false news,” related to a social media post. Amnesty International and numerous other human rights organizations have consistently declared him a prisoner of conscience, whose detention is solely linked to his exercise of human rights.
Despite his five-year sentence effectively ending on 29 September 2024 , Egyptian authorities continued to arbitrarily detain him, stating his release date would be in January 2027, violating both international legal norms and Egypt’s own domestic law. During his imprisonment, he faced inhumane conditions, including denial of access to lawyers, consular visits, fresh air, and sunlight. His family has reported serious concerns about his health, particularly at times when he engaged in a prolonged hunger strike to protest his detention.
