As the COP27 summit meets in Egypt, a UK citizen, Alaa Abd el-Fattah, is on the verge of death in one of the Egyptian regime’s prisons.
About to turn 41, if he makes it that far, Abd el-Fattah is an Egyptian democracy activist who has been in and out of prison under every Egyptian president in his lifetime — first decades-long ruler Hosni Mubarak, then Mohammed Morsi of the Muslim Brotherhood, and now Mubarak mark 2 Abdel Fattah el-Sisi.
There are over 65,000 political prisoners in Sisi’s jails.
On hunger strike for more than six months in protest at his brutal treatment, Abd el-Fattah has now stopped drinking water.
Though he has UK citizenship through his mother, the British government — despite professions of “deep concern” — appears not to want to make too much fuss. Unsurprisingly given the UK’s huge business and military links with the Egyptian regime.
On 7 November a group of Egyptian journalists began a hunger strike in their union building to demand freedom for Abd el-Fattah and other political prisoners.
• More from the Guardian here and from us in May this year here. Statement of solidarity from UK civil service trade union PCS here.
Comments?We welcome replies, corrections and debate pieces. Contact us