Alaa Abd el-Fattah, an Egyptian-British writer and political activist, may face extended detention beyond his five-year sentence, set to end on 29 September, as per his lawyer’s warning. Initially arrested in 2019 for sharing a social media post about a prisoner’s death due to torture, Abd el-Fattah was charged with joining a terrorist group, spreading false news, and misusing social media.
After two years in pretrial detention, he was sentenced to five years in prison in 2021, ratified in 2022. Now, authorities plan to hold him until 2027 despite completing five years in 2024. His lawyer argues pretrial detention should count towards the sentence.
Abd el-Fattah’s detention relates to his activism against the Egyptian government, leading to international calls for his release. With hopes of reuniting with his son in the UK, his family urges the British government to intervene. Despite expectations of his imminent release, concerns remain over potential violations of his rights.