British-Egyptian dissident Alaa Abd el-Fattah has arrived in London after the Egyptian government lifted a travel ban imposed on him following his release from jail in September. Abd el-Fattah had been held in prison for nearly 10 years, mainly for expressing opposition to the Egyptian government's treatment of dissidents. He served two years beyond his five-year sentence because authorities refused to count his pre-trial detention as part of his sentence.
His arrival was announced by his mother, Laila Soueif, on Facebook. His sister Mona Seif expressed relief, saying: 'I can't believe it's finally happened and Alaa has made it to London. We thought it was impossible, but here he is.' The family believes the agreement will allow him to travel freely between the UK and Egypt.
An earlier attempt to leave Cairo in November was blocked by security forces. Since then, negotiations secured a deal permitting him to travel without permanent exclusion from Egypt. His teenage son, Khaled, lives in Brighton and attends a special educational needs school. The boy visited his father in Cairo after his release.
Prime Minister Keir Starmer made three calls to President Abdel Fatah al-Sisi, and UK national security adviser Jonathan Powell also urged Egypt to end his detention. However, Egypt never allowed British consular visits, citing non-recognition of his dual citizenship. Changes in the Egyptian embassy in London may have contributed to a less inflexible stance.
Abd el-Fattah, from a family of human rights activists, became a leading voice during the Arab Spring. His mother twice came close to death during an eight-month hunger strike to pressure the UK Foreign Office. James Lynch of FairSquare, a human rights organisation, said: 'I'm delighted that Alaa has safely returned to the UK to be reunited with his son after such a lengthy ordeal.'
