Laila Soueif, the 69-year-old mother of British-Egyptian activist Alaa Abdel Fattah, has vowed to continue her hunger strike despite her deteriorating health. After eight months without proper nutrition, her doctors have warned her that she is now at risk of sudden death. However, she remains resolute in her determination to secure her son’s release from prison in Cairo. Speaking from St Thomas’ hospital in London, where she is receiving treatment, Ms. Soueif expressed her passionate desire to live but stated that she is prepared to die if it means getting her son out of jail.
Ms. Soueif’s daughter, Sanaa Seif, described the situation as “very scary,” saying that her mother’s body is becoming increasingly weak. “No-one understands how she’s still conscious,” she added. Ms. Seif revealed that her mother now feels like she’s dying and has started to bid farewell to her loved ones. “She’s talking to us about life after she’s gone,” Ms. Seif said.
Alaa Abdel Fattah, who is also a British-Egyptian dual national, has been in prison almost continuously since 2014. His latest five-year sentence was imposed after he shared a Facebook post about a prisoner dying after torture. Ms. Soueif began her hunger strike in September 2024, when her son’s sentence should have ended, but the Egyptian authorities refused to count the more than two years he spent in pre-trial detention towards his time served.
The family fears that Alaa Abdel Fattah is being used to set an example and will never be freed. “He finished his sentence for God’s sake. It was an unfair sentence rendered by a kangaroo court,” his mother said. “He should have been out of that jail on 29 September.” The UN Working Group on Arbitrary Detention has called for his immediate release, but Egypt has not allowed the British embassy to visit him.
Ms. Soueif’s family and supporters are urging the UK government to do more to pressure Egypt into releasing Alaa Abdel Fattah. British Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer has told Ms. Soueif that he is pressing Egypt to release her son. However, Ms. Seif believes that the government is not being forceful enough. “Alaa needs to be out of prison and out of the country. He needs to be in Brighton with his son, Khaled,” she said.
In a statement, the Foreign Office said it is committed to securing Alaa Abdel Fattah’s release. “The foreign secretary stressed the urgency of the situation in a call with his counterpart on Sunday morning, and further engagement at the highest levels of the Egyptian government continues,” a spokesperson said.
If she doesn’t survive, Ms. Soueif’s message is clear: “Use my death as leverage to get Alaa out.”