In brief
Laila Soueif, mother of Alaa Abd El Fattah, has been on a hunger strike for over 150 days to advocate for her political prisoner son, with her health in jeopardy as she pushes for government intervention.
Laila Soueif, aged 68 and a British citizen, has been hospitalized after enduring a hunger strike for 151 days. Her son, Alaa Abd El Fattah, is a well-known political prisoner in Egypt. Soueif's fast, fueled only by water, salt, and sugarless tea, began last September when it became evident her son would not be released from a five-year sentence as expected. She has taken her cause to the UK government, urging them to leverage diplomatic ties with Egypt to secure his freedom. In her own words, “I’m creating a crisis," highlighting the urgency of her plea. Despite her declining health and being admitted to a London hospital due to dangerously low blood sugar and blood pressure, Soueif remains determined to continue her fight for justice for her son, who was imprisoned for sharing a critical Facebook post in 2021.
