Family of jailed dissident urge Lammy to prioritise case as he visits Egypt
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‘Moment of truth’ for UK foreign secretary over Alaa Abd El Fattah, who is still being held in a Cairo prison. The family of the jailed British-Egyptian writer Alaa Abd El Fattah have urged the UK foreign secretary, David Lammy, to prioritise the dissident’s release above trade deals during his visit to Egypt.
![[Lammy and Abdelatty seated with British and Egyptian flags behind]](https://i.guim.co.uk/img/media/e17170cf0f6feef8f906a0e375278b930b2ec22c/0_268_4724_2835/master/4724.jpg?width=445&dpr=1&s=none&crop=none)
Fattah remains in a Cairo jail even though his sentence for dissent has been served. His mother is on a hunger strike in London with her health now deteriorating. Arguing Lammy and his commitment to human rights is facing “a moment of truth”, Fattah’s family said Lammy should return with him on the plane.
![[Soueif holds a picture of her son Alaa Abd El Fattah beside a #Free Alaa placard with black railings behind]](https://i.guim.co.uk/img/media/66cc3f4f6ac786fb7efc928f412f8bc3b7acde9f/0_108_5885_3532/master/5885.jpg?width=445&dpr=1&s=none&crop=none)
The Foreign Office confirmed Lammy’s visit on Thursday to Egypt and said he would again raise the British government’s call for his release. But the family fear the foreign secretary may be about to throw away vital leverage by not setting any conditions on its relations with Egyptian business.
The Foreign Office highlighted how Egypt could contribute to UK growth and help stem the flow of illegal migration, the two issues Downing Street is demanding it must reference in its communications. Lammy is expected to meet his counterpart Badr Abdelatty and intends to thank the Egyptian government for its role in brokering the ceasefire in Gaza.
Fattah’s sister Sanaa Seif expressed her scepticism about the Foreign Office assurances: “When Liz Truss signed the last UK-Egypt association agreement she was also telling parliament that Alaa should be released. “David Cameron had an emotional meeting with me and my family and claimed he was looking for any leverage to use for Alaa – when he was in fact overseeing the largest weapons purchase in the two countries’ history.
