UN Panel Rules Illegal Detention of Egyptian Activist Alaa Abd el-Fattah

An independent United Nations panel has found that British-Egyptian writer and human rights activist Alaa Abd el-Fattah is being unlawfully and arbitrarily detained by Egyptian authorities, calling for his immediate release. The UN Working Group on Arbitrary Detention (UNWGAD) concluded that Abd el-Fattah’s arrest and imprisonment violated international human rights laws, highlighting the lack of a legal warrant, denial of due process, and that his detention was politically motivated due to his activism and exercise of freedom of expression. Despite completing a five-year sentence in September 2024, Egyptian authorities have refused to release him, ignoring international legal obligations. The panel also criticized Egypt’s justice system for secret trials, denial of legal counsel, and failure to provide proper appeals, reflecting a broader pattern of repression against government critics. Abd el-Fattah’s mother, Laila Soueif, has been on a prolonged hunger strike in protest, while the UK government has repeatedly urged Egyptian President Abdel Fatah al-Sisi to show clemency. The UN panel urged Egypt to not only release Abd el-Fattah immediately but also to provide compensation and reform its laws to align with international human rights standards.