Alaa Abd El-Fattah, a distinguished Egyptian-British human rights advocate, has been released after enduring nearly 12 years behind bars, according to his family. This followed a presidential pardon granted by Egypt’s President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi, which also extended to five other inmates.
Speaking from her home in Giza early Tuesday, Abd El-Fattah’s mother, Laila Soueif, expressed her overwhelming emotions while standing beside her son, surrounded by elated relatives and friends.
“Our happiness is immense, yet the true celebration will come only when no one remains imprisoned for their political beliefs in Egypt,” she remarked.
Recognized as one of Egypt’s most prominent political detainees, Abd El-Fattah’s prolonged incarceration and multiple hunger strikes had sparked widespread international calls urging the Egyptian government to grant him freedom.
His initial detention occurred prior to the 2011 Arab Spring uprising that led to the fall of Hosni Mubarak’s regime, and he was repeatedly arrested during the subsequent turbulent years.
However, it was his outspoken criticism of the government’s harsh measures against political opponents following el-Sisi’s rise to power in 2014 that resulted in his longest prison sentences.
In 2014, Abd El-Fattah received a 15-year sentence for participating in unauthorized protests. Although briefly freed in 2019 under parole conditions, he was re-arrested later that year and handed an additional five-year term.
Supporters and family members shared joyful images on social media showing Abd El-Fattah smiling warmly as he embraced his mother and other loved ones after his release.
His sister, Mona Seif, took to social media to celebrate his freedom, writing, “In a world filled with hardship, injustice, and sorrow, moments like this allow us to breathe and embrace hope, inspiring us to continue forward.”
She added in another post, “May every family with a detained loved one experience this joy. Imagine the peace and happiness that would flood our world in that instant.”
A truly heartwarming day 💛
Alaa is free pic.twitter.com/nmg4oROSTi– Mona Seif (@Monasosh) September 22, 2025
Abd El-Fattah’s extended imprisonment has come to symbolize the erosion of democratic freedoms in Egypt.
United Kingdom Foreign Secretary Yvette Cooper welcomed the pardon, stating, “I warmly applaud the decision to grant Alaa Abd El-Fattah a Presidential pardon. We appreciate President Sisi’s action and eagerly anticipate Alaa’s return to the UK to reunite with his family.”
Having acquired British citizenship through his mother in 2021, Abd El-Fattah hails from a family deeply rooted in activism and intellectual pursuits, who have tirelessly campaigned for his liberation.
Earlier this year, his mother personally met with UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer to advocate for her son’s release.
In September 2024, anticipating his imminent release due to prolonged pre-trial detention, Soueif undertook a prolonged hunger strike in the UK, which she ended only after family intervention amid serious health concerns.
Starmer pledged to exert every effort to secure Abd El-Fattah’s freedom. The activist himself has engaged in several hunger strikes while imprisoned, most recently in early September, protesting his detention and standing in solidarity with his mother.
One of his most notable hunger strikes occurred in 2022 during Egypt’s hosting of the United Nations climate summit in Sharm el-Sheikh, which ended only after he lost consciousness and required medical intervention.
Egypt’s National Council for Human Rights, a government-affiliated organization, also praised the release, interpreting it as a sign of the authorities’ increasing commitment to expedited justice.
