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Alaa Abdel Fattah: British-Egyptian activist given 'medical intervention' - family Alaa Abdel Fattah: British-Egyptian activist given 'medical intervention' - family
(about 4 hours later)
The UN human rights chief said on Tuesday that Alaa Abdel Fattah's life was "at acute risk"The UN human rights chief said on Tuesday that Alaa Abdel Fattah's life was "at acute risk"
The family of jailed British-Egyptian pro-democracy activist Alaa Abdel Fattah, who has been on hunger strike, say they have been informed he has "undergone a medical intervention".The family of jailed British-Egyptian pro-democracy activist Alaa Abdel Fattah, who has been on hunger strike, say they have been informed he has "undergone a medical intervention".
They said officials at Egypt's Wadi al-Natroun prison had told his mother, Laila Soueif, that it took place "with the knowledge of a judicial authority".They said officials at Egypt's Wadi al-Natroun prison had told his mother, Laila Soueif, that it took place "with the knowledge of a judicial authority".
Later, his lawyer said his request to visit the prison had been granted. His lawyer was later prevented from visiting him despite having a permit.
Abdel Fattah, 40, escalated his hunger strike on Sunday by refusing water. Abdel Fattah escalated his hunger strike on Sunday by refusing water.
He began a partial strike seven months ago, consuming a maximum of 100 calories a day, in a bid to pressure Egyptian authorities to allow British diplomats to visit him. The 40 year old, who is imprisoned for allegedly "spreading false news", has become a symbol of the 60,000 political prisoners believed by human rights groups to be languishing in Egyptian jails. Egypt insists there are none.
With authorities continuing to refuse consular access and even acknowledge his British citizenship, he told his family in a letter that he would only drink water until the COP27 climate conference opened in the Egyptian Red Sea resort of Sharm el-Sheikh on Sunday, and then stop even that. Abdel Fattah began a partial hunger strike seven months ago, consuming a maximum of 100 calories a day, in a bid to pressure authorities to allow British diplomats to visit him.
With the authorities continuing to refuse consular access or even acknowledge his British citizenship, he told his family in a letter last week that he would only drink water until the COP27 climate summit opened in the Egyptian Red Sea resort of Sharm el-Sheikh on Sunday, and then stop even doing that.
On Wednesday, after three days with no news, his family demanded that authorities prove he was still alive and expressed concern that they might be force-feeding him or be putting him on intravenous drips against his will.On Wednesday, after three days with no news, his family demanded that authorities prove he was still alive and expressed concern that they might be force-feeding him or be putting him on intravenous drips against his will.
They were reacting to comments by President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi, who told his French counterpart that Egypt was "committed to ensuring that [the] health of Alaa Abdel Fattah is preserved", and Foreign Minister Sameh Shoukry, who stressed that "necessary healthcare" was provided to inmates.They were reacting to comments by President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi, who told his French counterpart that Egypt was "committed to ensuring that [the] health of Alaa Abdel Fattah is preserved", and Foreign Minister Sameh Shoukry, who stressed that "necessary healthcare" was provided to inmates.
Alaa Abdel Fattah's mother, Laila Soueif, has been waiting outside Wadi al-Natroun prison for news
"I think this is the most stressful time we have ever been through as a family, and we have been through a lot over the past years," Abdel Fattah's sister, Mona Seif, told BBC World News on Thursday.
She said her mother had been going to the prison every day since Sunday, "demanding proof of life, demanding a letter".
"All of sudden today she was informed that she was not allowed to wait by the prison and that there had been medical intervention taken with the authorisation of judicial entities," she added.
"We have no idea what sort of medical intervention. We don't know what triggered them to take these medical interventions."
After that news emerged, she said, Abdel Fattah's lawyer, Khaled Ali, was informed that the prosecutor general had granted him permission to visit his client for the first time since early 2020.
Mr Ali travelled to Wadi al-Natroun and waited outside, but he later tweeted that he was denied access by the interior ministry "under the pretext that the permit was dated" the day before.
"We're incredibly worried that medical decisions for Alaa are not being made by independent doctors free from interference and coercion by the Egyptian authorities," said Freshta Sharif of Amnesty International UK.
"The Egyptian prison authorities' secretive response to Alaa's hunger strike must end, and he should be allowed independent medical care from qualified health professionals in proper compliance with medical ethics, with Alaa's family fully consulted and allowed unfettered access to him."
There was no immediate comment from the Egyptian government.
A spokesperson for the UK Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office said: "The continued detention of Alaa Abdel Fattah, a British-Egyptian citizen and human rights defender, must end."
 "We continue to call for his urgent release at all levels. The prime minister raised his case with Egyptian President Sisi on [Monday] and made clear the UK's expectation that the case is resolved swiftly."
Mona Seif said she was "not at all" satisfied with the efforts of the British government to secure his release.
"What I am most disappointed and furious with is that our Prime Minister, Rishi Sunak, went to Sharm el-Sheikh, shook hands with Abdul Fattah al-Sisi, the president of Egypt, and returned... without even managing to secure consular access or get us proof of life."
"I don't think the Egyptian authorities are taking the concerns of the UK government seriously... The trade deals, the business deals, are continuing very smoothly despite the fact that they are holding a British citizen, exposing him to all sorts of violations."
(July 2022) Alaa Abdel Fattah: 'He’s certain he’ll never come out of prison alive'(July 2022) Alaa Abdel Fattah: 'He’s certain he’ll never come out of prison alive'
(July 2022) Alaa Abdel Fattah: 'He’s certain he’ll never come out of prison alive'(July 2022) Alaa Abdel Fattah: 'He’s certain he’ll never come out of prison alive'
"Wadi al-Natron prison officials today refused to allow Laila Soueif to wait at the prison gates. They refused to take receipt of a letter she had written to the prison governor and one to Alaa," Abdel Fattah's family said in a statement on Thursday morning. Abdel Fattah, who was born in Cairo and obtained British citizenship last year through his London-born mother, first rose to prominence during the 2011 uprising in Egypt that forced long-time President Hosni Mubarak to resign.
"They informed her that Alaa had 'undergone a medical intervention with the knowledge of a judicial authority'."
"We are demanding information on the substance of the 'medical intervention' and demanding that with the utmost urgency he is moved to hospital where lawyers and family can reach him," the statement added.
Abdel Fattah's sister, Mona Seif, tweeted: "The priority now is to see [Alaa] to know his true health status, what kind of medical intervention they carried out and why, how badly did he deteriorate?
"Is he conscious and consenting? And to make sure he is not in the care of the doctors who forged his medical report before!"
"He is not on hunger strike" "He is eating 3 meals a day" "No one could survive that long" "He is not on water strike" Today: Necessary medical intervention was carried out under the instruction of legal authorities! This is @AlsisiOfficial's #egypt #Cop27 #FreeAlaa
Later, she wrote that Abdel Fattah's lawyer, Khalid Ali, was on his way to the prison after being informed that his request for a visit had been granted by the prosecutor general.
All previous requests from Mr Ali had either been "denied or illegally ignored", human rights activist Hossam Bahgat said.
There was no immediate comment from the Egyptian or British governments.
On Wednesday, UK Prime Minister Rishi Sunak told the House of Commons that he had raised Abdel Fattah's case with President Sisi at COP27 and that his "deep concern" grew "more urgent by the day".
"We will continue to press the Egyptian government to resolve the situation," he said. "We want to see Alaa freed and reunited with his family as soon as possible."
UN human rights chief Volker Türk warned on Tuesday that Abdel Fattah's life was "at acute risk" and described him as one of a number of people in Egypt who had been "arbitrarily deprived of their liberty and incarcerated after unfair trials on multiple occasions".
Abdel Fattah first rose to prominence during the 2011 uprising that forced long-time President Hosni Mubarak to resign.
Since Mr Sisi came to power in 2014 after leading the military's overthrow of Mubarak's democratically elected successor, he has spent most of the time in prison or police detention.Since Mr Sisi came to power in 2014 after leading the military's overthrow of Mubarak's democratically elected successor, he has spent most of the time in prison or police detention.
Last December, he was convicted of the charge of "spreading false news" in relation to his social media posts - a charge human rights groups condemned as spurious - and sentenced to five years in prison.Last December, he was convicted of the charge of "spreading false news" in relation to his social media posts - a charge human rights groups condemned as spurious - and sentenced to five years in prison.
On Wednesday, an Egyptian lawyer reportedly filed a legal complaint calling for the arrest of Abdel Fattah's other sister, Sanaa Seif, on the same charge.
The complaint also accused Sanaa Seif - a human rights defender who has been jailed three times herself for advocating for her brother and who flew from the UK to Sharm el-Sheikh this week to campaign for his release - of "conspiring with foreign agencies" and "incitement against the Egyptian state". Public prosecutors will decide whether to pursue it.