Following the news of a pardon having been granted for British Egyptian pro-democracy activist Alaa Abd El Fattah in Egypt, Sir John Whittingdale OBE, MP for Maldon, Chair of the APPG for Media Freedom made the following statement:
Sir John: “I am delighted to learn that British Egyptian pro-democracy activist Alaa Abd El Fattah has received a pardon by President Sisi in Egypt, after having been wrongfully imprisoned for the last 4 years for the spurious charge of ‘spreading fake news’.
I pay tribute to Alaa’s mother Laila Soueif, who I met in Parliament and who has been on hunger strike until his release. This issue is of particular importance to me as both the Chair of the APPG for Media Freedom and a member of the Foreign Affairs Select Committee. Having worked closely with Reporters Without Borders, I have raised Alaa’s case with ministers, most recently directly to the former Foreign Secretary David Lammy (see clip below), I welcome the news of his imminent release.
The UK has a duty to stand firmly behind British citizens abroad, especially those campaigning for justice and democracy.”
See below for a clip of Sir John raising Alaa’s case with the former Foreign Secretary, David Lammy.
