Due to his role as a central figure in technology and political activism in his country since the early 2000s, and a global voice during the Arab uprisings in the early 2010s, Egyptian authorities have attempted to silence Alaa through unlawful imprisonment for most of the last decade.

When Egyptian activist Alaa Abd El Fattah secured British citizenship in 2022, it granted him the right to consular visits from British Embassy representatives. However, his home country, Egypt, has consistently denied him this right, disregarding international norms and perpetuating years of violating his rights and freedom.

For over 200 days, between April and November 2022, Alaa embarked on a hunger strike,to reclaim his right to consular visits and demand his freedom, serving as a testament to his unwavering determination.

During the COP27 Climate Conference in November 2022, which took place in Egypt, world leaders, including the U.K, Germany, France and many more, along with UN experts, civil society, activists, and thousands of people worldwide, demanded Alaa’s immediate release.

Olivia Colman, Carey Mulligan, Mark Ruffalo, Emily Watson, Rebecca Hall, Morgan Spector, Richard Ratcliffe, and more share a powerful reading from Alaa’s “Half an Hour with Khaled.”

This demonstration of international solidarity underscored that Alaa’s plight resonates on a global scale. The extensive international coverage during COP27 shed light on the injustice and oppression faced by Alaa and others unjustly imprisoned. With the world watching, pressure on Egypt to #FreeAlaa and thousands unjustly behind bars should not diminish.

Despite the efforts and calls for justice, Alaa remains unjustly confined behind bars. We join voices across the world in continuing to call for the immediate and unconditional release of Alaa. #FreeAlaa!

Join us in calling on UK authorities to act for Egypt to #FreeAlaa, along with the thousands of human rights defenders wrongfully detained in Egyptian prisons.

WHAT YOU CAN DO

◈ Spread Alaa’s message ◈

Egyptian authorities have attempted to force Alaa into silence, but together we can ensure his voice is heard. You can support the work to #FreeAlaa by writing to your MP, purchasing his new book, “You Have Not Yet Been Defeated,” watching and sharing the virtual book reading, and using #FreeAlaa on social media to engage in conversation around Alaa’s vision.

ORDER ALAA’S BOOK

WATCH THE VIRTUAL READING

◈ Demand Alaa’s immediate release ◈

Join Access Now and our partners around the world in calling on Egypt’s leaders to immediately and unconditionally #FreeAlaa, along with the thousands of other detained activists and human rights defenders targeted for exercising their fundamental rights.

TWEET TO #FREEALAA

STAY INFORMED

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ALAA’S STORY

Alaa has always been a vocal advocate for free speech. In 2006, he was jailed for taking part in a peaceful protest. A few months after the January 25th revolution in 2011, Alaa was forced to miss the birth of his son, as he was jailed and awaiting military trial. In 2013, he spent 115 days in jail without trial, which ended in a five-year sentence with an additional five-year probationary period. In 2019, Alaa was wrongfully re-arrested on allegations of spreading fake news and joining a terrorist organization. Since then, Alaa has been locked inside the maximum-security wing of Tora Prison. In December 2021, the activist was handed an absurd five years sentence on trumped up charges, with the years that he languished in prison while awaiting trial not counting toward time served. On April 2, 2022, and after years of unlawful imprisonment, mistreatment, and torture, Egyptian activist, blogger, and software developer Alaa Abd El-Fattah shaved his head and started a hunger strike on the first day of Ramadan. A few days later, on April 11, Alaa’s family announced that he had become a British citizen through his mother. Alaa is still languishing in prison.

CAMPAIGN UPDATES

Freedom of Expression

Freedom for human rights defender, Alaa Abdel Fattah #FreeAlaa

Access Now is calling to free Alaa Abdel Fattah, Egyptian activist and technologist, and immediately release him from arbitrary detention.

Covid-19

Open letter from Mona Seif, Egyptian human rights defender

This is an open letter from me asking for your solidarity and support. It is long, bear with me please. My name is Mona Seif, I am an Egyptian HRD.

Freedom of Expression

Family of jailed human rights activist Alaa Abdel Fattah attacked, sister detained

We call upon Egyptian authorities to immediately release Sanaa and Alaa and all the detained activists and human rights defenders who are being held for simply exercising their fundamental rights of assembly and freedom of expression.