"British Prime Minister Keir Starmer has announced that the Egyptian-British activist and blogger Alaa Abd El-Fattah has returned to the United Kingdom after spending nearly 12 years as a political prisoner in Egypt. Starmer on Friday called the return of Abd El-Fattah, who was pardoned by Egyptian President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi in September after years of detention, a profound relief. I'm grateful to President Sisi for his decision to grant the pardon."
"The former blogger had been previously jailed in 2011 during Egypt's uprising against former leader Hosni Mubarak. He later emerged as an outspoken critic of el-Sisi, who seized power in a military coup in 2013. Abd El-Fattah was given a 15-year prison sentence in 2014 on charges of spreading false news before being temporarily released in 2019 and given another five-year sentence the same year."
Alaa Abd El-Fattah returned to the United Kingdom after nearly 12 years as a political prisoner in Egypt, receiving a presidential pardon from Abdel Fattah el-Sisi in September. Prime Minister Keir Starmer called the return a profound relief, paid tribute to Abd El-Fattah's family and campaigners, and described the case as a top government priority. Abd El-Fattah was among six prisoners pardoned after hunger strikes and international appeals. He was first jailed in 2011, later became an outspoken critic of el-Sisi, received a 15-year sentence in 2014 for spreading false news, and faced another five-year sentence in 2019. Authorities maintain they do not hold political prisoners, and a travel ban followed the pardon; Abd El-Fattah posted a cryptic message on X before departing.
Read at www.aljazeera.com
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