A coalition of human rights organizations, writers, and public figures—including FIDH and OMCT, acting under the Observatory for the Protection of Human Rights Defenders—has formally appealed to President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi for a presidential pardon for Egyptian-British writer and activist Alaa Abd el-Fattah.
Alaa, who has been arbitrarily detained since September 28, 2019, and imprisoned almost continuously since 2014, now faces the prospect of two more years behind bars, despite legal grounds that could have supported his early release. The urgency of the appeal has intensified following the recent hospitalization of his mother, Professor Laila Soueif, a respected 69-year-old academic who has been on a 150-day hunger strike demanding his freedom. Medical professionals warn that her continued fasting places her at immediate risk of sudden death.
In the letter addressed to President el-Sisi at Al Ittihadiya Palace in Cairo, the signatories argue that a pardon under Article 155 of the Egyptian Constitution would not only end Alaa’s prolonged suffering but also reunite a grieving family during a sacred time. “This is not just about justice—it is an act of humanity,” the letter states, urging the president to demonstrate Egypt’s commitment to compassion and the rule of law amid regional instability.
The appeal, backed by a broad coalition that includes Egyptian politicians and a diverse group of civil society leaders, calls for an act of clemency that would resonate as a powerful gesture of mercy and national unity. As families gather to break their fast during Ramadan, the signatories emphasize that freeing Alaa Abd el-Fattah would allow one family to finally share in the warmth and togetherness of this holy period.
The international community and human rights advocates are closely watching President el-Sisi’s response to this plea for justice and reunion.
