Hunger Strike mum says if she doesn't survive her death should be used as leverage to set her son free
Ms Soueif has been on hunger strike in London for 242 days in protest against the imprisonment of her son
Last updated 3rd Jun 2025
The mother of a British man jailed in Egypt has spoken from her hospital bed to say she is prepared to die on hunger strike if necessary to get her son out of prison.
She's given an interview from St Thomas' Hospital in London, Laila Soueif calling on the Prime Minister to put pressure on Egyptian authorities to release the democracy activist Alaa Abd El-Fattah, who has dual nationality.
She said if she did not survive, her death should be used as a leverage to set her son free.
At risk of 'sudden death'
Ms Soueif has not eaten for more than eight months and doctors say she is at risk of sudden death.
She said: "It's something that I passionately don't want to happen. Children want a mother, not a notorious mother, whether the notoriety is good or bad.
"But if that's what it takes to get Alaa out of jail and to get all my children and grandchildren's life back on track, then that's what I'm going to do."
In December 2021, Mr Abd El-Fattah was sentenced to five years in prison for spreading false news and should have been released last year.
Conservative former minister Sir John Whittingdale, who is a member of the Foreign Affairs Committee, told the Today programme Mr Abd El-Fattah was a "political activist" who had not committed "any crime that we would recognise".
He described Foreign Secretary David Lammy as "outspoken" in opposition but said his action in Government since then "simply hasn't had an effect".