Mother of Jailed Activist Enters Hospital After Prolonged Hunger Strike
Laila Soueif, protesting her son’s imprisonment, has been hospitalized after 242 days without food, intensifying international scrutiny around human rights in Egypt.
Laila Soueif, the mother of imprisoned British-Egyptian human rights activist Alaa Abd el-Fattah, has been admitted to St Thomas’ Hospital in London following a hunger strike that has lasted for 242 days.
Family members reported on Friday that she was hospitalized due to critically low blood sugar levels but is continuing to refuse any medical treatment that would provide her with calories.
Soueif has abstained from solid food since September 29, 2022—the date when her son’s prison sentence was meant to conclude.
Alaa Abd el-Fattah, who has been incarcerated in Egypt since September 2019, was sentenced in December 2021 to five years in prison on charges of “spreading false news.” Last week, Soueif disclosed that she had lost approximately 42% of her body weight, weighing in at 49 kilograms.
Her diet during the hunger strike has reportedly consisted of herbal tea, black coffee, rehydration salts, and minimal liquid supplements.
On May 20, 2023, Soueif declared a total resumption of her hunger strike citing the absence of any significant development regarding her son’s case, stating, “Nothing has changed, nothing is happening.” UN investigators have condemned Abd el-Fattah's imprisonment as a breach of international law.
UK Labour leader Keir Starmer had previously pledged to exert efforts for his release.
While in hospital, Soueif received glucagon treatment—a hormone that prompts the liver to release stored glucose—although she continues to reject calorie-providing medical interventions.
She had previously been hospitalized in February, with medical professionals warning of a high risk of sudden death.
In March, following a conversation between Starmer and Egyptian President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi, Soueif had temporarily modified her hunger strike but reverted to a full strike later.
In solidarity, Alaa Abd el-Fattah has also been on hunger strike, now extending into its 90th day, since his mother’s hospitalization in February.
Soueif has expressed an urgent plea for her son’s release, emphasizing the need for family reunification with her grandson Khaled, Abd el-Fattah’s son.
The situation has drawn significant attention from international observers and human rights organizations, escalating the dialogue surrounding civil liberties in Egypt amid widespread concerns regarding the treatment of political prisoners.
Family members reported on Friday that she was hospitalized due to critically low blood sugar levels but is continuing to refuse any medical treatment that would provide her with calories.
Soueif has abstained from solid food since September 29, 2022—the date when her son’s prison sentence was meant to conclude.
Alaa Abd el-Fattah, who has been incarcerated in Egypt since September 2019, was sentenced in December 2021 to five years in prison on charges of “spreading false news.” Last week, Soueif disclosed that she had lost approximately 42% of her body weight, weighing in at 49 kilograms.
Her diet during the hunger strike has reportedly consisted of herbal tea, black coffee, rehydration salts, and minimal liquid supplements.
On May 20, 2023, Soueif declared a total resumption of her hunger strike citing the absence of any significant development regarding her son’s case, stating, “Nothing has changed, nothing is happening.” UN investigators have condemned Abd el-Fattah's imprisonment as a breach of international law.
UK Labour leader Keir Starmer had previously pledged to exert efforts for his release.
While in hospital, Soueif received glucagon treatment—a hormone that prompts the liver to release stored glucose—although she continues to reject calorie-providing medical interventions.
She had previously been hospitalized in February, with medical professionals warning of a high risk of sudden death.
In March, following a conversation between Starmer and Egyptian President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi, Soueif had temporarily modified her hunger strike but reverted to a full strike later.
In solidarity, Alaa Abd el-Fattah has also been on hunger strike, now extending into its 90th day, since his mother’s hospitalization in February.
Soueif has expressed an urgent plea for her son’s release, emphasizing the need for family reunification with her grandson Khaled, Abd el-Fattah’s son.
The situation has drawn significant attention from international observers and human rights organizations, escalating the dialogue surrounding civil liberties in Egypt amid widespread concerns regarding the treatment of political prisoners.
