British-Egyptian pro-democracy activist Alaa Abd El-Fattah has returned to the UK for the first time since his release after spending six years in prison in Egypt.
Mr Abd El-Fattah, 44, was released in September after being granted a presidential pardon for his charges of spreading false news, but a travel ban was in place until 20 December.
He had become one of Egypt’s most prominent political prisoners after spending much of his life in and out of detention due to his activism. His latest sentence came amid a far-reaching crackdown under president Abdel Fattah al Sisi.
Mr Abd El-Fattah has dual nationality through his mother, Laila Soueif, with whom he has now been reunited in the UK.
In a statement, his family said he would shortly be reunited with his 14-year-old son Khaled, who lives in Brighton with his mother.
Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer welcomed Mr Abd El-Fattah’s return, writing on X: “I’m delighted that Alaa Abd El-Fattah is back in the UK and has been reunited with his loved ones, who must be feeling profound relief.
“I want to pay tribute to Alaa’s family, and to all those that have worked and campaigned for this moment.
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“Alaa’s case has been a top priority for my government since we came to office. I’m grateful to President Sisi for his decision to grant the pardon.”
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Mr Abd El-Fattah became a prominent campaigner during protests in Cairo in 2011 that led to the ousting of former president Hosni Mubarak.
In 2014, he was sentenced to 15 years in prison – later reduced to five – for protesting without permission.
He was released in 2019 but arrested again for sharing a Facebook post about human rights abuses in Egyptian prisons.
