Egypt: Alaa Abdel Fattah's family saw him in prison, very weak

Sanaa Seif, sister of imprisoned pro-democracy activist Alaa Abdel Fattah, during a press conference held at her home in Cairo, Thursday, November 17, 2022. AP - Amr Nabil

Text by: RFI Follow

1 min

For the first time since October 24, the family of Egyptian opponent Alaa Abdel Fattah was able to see him.

He has just ended a hunger strike which has now lasted seven months.

Extremely weakened, his family is worried about his psychological state of health.

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With our correspondent in Cairo,

Édouard Dropsy

Extremely moved, Alaa Abdel Fattah's sister and aunt spoke to the press after

visiting

him .

From the first day of COP27, the most famous Egyptian opponent had

hardened

his partial hunger strike, which had lasted since April, by deciding to stop drinking.

His family recounts how he banged his head against the walls until he almost went into a coma.

Since then, he has

stopped

his hunger strike, but his sister Sanaa Seïf says she is very worried.

He looks fragile, but we are more worried about his mental health, which is very unstable.

Since the beginning of the

COP

, Westerners have followed Abdel Fattah al-Sissi to demand his release.

But nothing helps.

Her sister says she no longer trusts politicians, primarily in the United Kingdom, where her brother now has nationality.

This is the first time that I haven't informed the British Embassy, ​​because I feel that they have abandoned us.

Alaa should not be in this obscurity and this vulnerable position if he had access to a consular visit.

Imprisoned for almost ten years, Alaa Abdel Fattah must still serve four years in prison.

His latest conviction is due to a tweet he had relayed on the conditions of detention of Egyptian prisoners.

►Read again: Egypt: political activist Alaa Abdel Fattah hardens his hunger strike

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  • Egypt

  • Human rights

  • Abdel Fattah al-Sisi

  • UK