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The Guardian - UK
The Guardian - UK
National
Pippa Crerar Political editor

Tories and Labour face questions over support for activist Alaa Abd el-Fattah

Alaa Abd El-Fattah smiling and wearing a yellow T-shirt
Alaa Abd el-Fattah. Jewish organisations say campaign by successive administrations to secure his release shows ‘lack of due diligence’. Photograph: Khaled Elfiqi/AP

The decision by successive UK governments to campaign for the release and return of British-Egyptian democracy activist Alaa Abd el-Fattah has been called into question after past violent and offensive social media posts came to light.

The dissident’s historical remarks – in which he appeared to call for violence towards “Zionists” and the police – have prompted a widespread backlash since his return from detention in Egypt on Friday.

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