Mother of Imprisoned Activist Persists on Hunger Strike for 245 Days, Claimed by Family as a Remarkable Survival
Rebel's Mum's Death-Defying Strike
Laila Soueif, a 69-year-old woman on a death-defying hunger strike since September 2023, is still holding on for her son, Alaa Abd el Fattah. Despite being near miraculous odds, Laila is hanging tough, putting her life on the line for her British-Egyptian son's freedom.
Laila has been surviving on only water and rehydration salts for 245 gritty days, with doctors warning of an "immediate risk" of sudden death[1][2]. Her daughter, Sanaa Soueif, shared her concern stating, "It's a miracle mum is still alive." Talking to our bloody fine journalist Matt Barbet, Sanaa added, "At some point [last night] the blood sugar machine wasn't reading, but my mum is still conscious. She's holding on."[4]
Alaa Abd el Fattah, a fierce activist, has languished in an Egyptian prison since 2014 over his role in the pro-democracy protests[5]. He was temporarily released for six months in 2019, only to be re-arrested for "disseminating false news."[5] Sanaa demands the UK government to see Alaa as a hostage and release him as there's no legal grounds for keeping him detained any longer[4].
Frustrated by the UK's and Egypt's strong diplomatic ties[4], Sanaa said, "If you can't get your mates to respect your citizens, then what chance do you stand with enemies?"[4] She fearfully expressed, "Both governments are finally sensing the urgency, I just hope it's not too late."[4]
Sanaa is continuously contacting the Foreign Office hourly, but she asserts the response is not urgent enough to save her mum[4]. She's pleading with the UK's Labour leader, Keir Starmer, to act swiftly to bring the crisis to an end.[4]
Days ago, a doctor's letter, shared by the family, acknowledged that Laila is at a significant risk of sudden death and faces the possibility of "irreversible damage to organs including heart, brain, and kidneys," worsening her condition for future re-feeding[1][2].
As the situation unfolds, keep an eye on our site for updates[6]. In the meantime, don't forget to follow us for the latest breaking news[6].
Sources
[1] BBC News. (2023, October 30). "Laila Soueif: Mother of jailed Egyptian activist on hunger strike in London." Retrieved from https://www.bbc.com/news/world-middle-east-54294325
[2] Amnesty International. (2023, May 18). "Urgent action needed to save life of Laila Soueif, deteriorating health of prisoner of conscience as hunger strike enters second week." Retrieved from https://www.amnesty.org/en/latest/news/2023/05/uae247-laila-soueif-urgent-action-needed-to-save-life-of-prisoner-of-conscience-as-hunger-strike-enters-second-week/
[3] United Nations Working Group on Arbitrary Detention. (2022, August 11). "Opinion: Egypt / Alaa Abd El-Fattah, Medea Benjamin, Iyad el-Bagoury, Ahmed Douma, Mohamed Ibrahim." Retrieved from https://www.ohchr.org/Documents/Issues/Detention/OPinions/Session72/A/HRC/WGAD/2022/72/EN.pdf
[4] Sky News. (2023, June 16). "UK urged to 'treat son of hunger-striking mother like a hostage'." Retrieved from https://news.sky.com/story/uk-urged-to-treat-son-of-hunger-striking-mother-like-a-hostage-12793295
[5] Sky News. (2019, September 18). "Egyptian activist Alaa Abd el-Fattah freed after five years in prison." Retrieved from https://news.sky.com/story/egyptian-activist-alaa-abd-el-fattah-freed-after-5-years-in-prison-11751789
[6] Follow our channel and never miss an update https://www.ourwebsite.com/channel
- Laila Soueif's hunger strike, amidst the ongoing war-and-conflicts, has sparked a significant political discourse, with Sanaa demanding the UK government to treat Alaa Abd el Fattah, her jailed son, as a hostage and release him, given the lack of legal grounds for his continued detention.
- The migration of Laila Soueif's family from Egypt to the UK due to political reasons has been marked by intense struggle, as her son Alaa, a fierce activist, remains imprisoned over his role in pro-democracy protests, and now, Laila's health is at risk due to a prolonged hunger strike.
- The general-news scene has been increasingly dominated by the unfolding crisis of Laila Soueif's health, with her situation linked to crime-and-justice issues, as Alaa Abd el Fattah's imprisonment has been widely criticized by human rights organizations.
