Overview

• Laila Soueif, 68, began a hunger strike in September 2024 to demand the release of her son, Alaa Abd el-Fattah, a British-Egyptian activist imprisoned in Egypt.
• Hospitalized in London after severe health deterioration, Soueif agreed to a single dose of glucose at her daughters' urging, temporarily delaying further decline.
• Doctors warn of imminent risk to Soueif’s life, with her organs at risk of permanent damage after losing nearly 30 kilograms during her strike.
• Advocacy groups and 25 human rights organizations are pressuring the UK government to take stronger action, including at the Human Rights Council, to secure Abd el-Fattah’s release.
• Despite a meeting with UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer earlier this month, Soueif’s family remains frustrated with the lack of decisive intervention to free Abd el-Fattah, who completed his sentence in September 2024.