Only the Egyptian regime knows the fate of Alaa Abd el-Fattah. It wants to keep it that way. The jailed British-Egyptian writer and democracy activist, a figurehead of the 2011 revolution, began refusing water on Sunday – six months after launching a hunger strike that has seen him consume no more than 100 calories a day. On Monday, his mother waited in vain outside the prison for his weekly letter. As of Tuesday evening, his family was still demanding proof of life, fearing he may die before the end of the Cop27 climate summit in Sharm el-Sheikh, which has finally propelled his case to international attention. They are also concerned that he may be tortured through force-feeding.
The British government appears to have at last accorded the case the importance it deserves. Writing to the 40-year-old father’s family at the weekend, Rishi Sunak said that he was “totally committed” to resolving the case, calling it a priority. The prime minister said that he would stress the need for a swift resolution to the Egyptian president.
