After speaking at COP27, sister of political prisoner is accused of conspiracy in Egypt

The sister of the British-Egyptian activist who has been on hunger strike for more than 200 days – and who has also stopped drinking water – is being accused of conspiring with foreign agencies, incitement against Egypt and spreading fake news.

An Egyptian lawyer has filed a lawsuit against Sanaa Seif, sister of Alaa Abd el-Fattah, after her participation in COP27, the UN climate conference taking place in Sharm el-Sheikh, Egypt.

“We don’t know where he is, we don’t know if he’s alive. My mother yesterday [segunda] waited ten hours outside the prison for her weekly letter. They didn’t give it to her,” Seif said last Tuesday (8). “I asked the British authorities to give us some proof that Alaa is alive. I didn’t have an answer.”

During Seif’s press conference at the conference, two Egyptian men questioned her, claiming that her brother was not a political prisoner. One of the men Amr Darwish, a member of the Egyptian parliament, even started a ruckus and was removed from the building by security at the event.

On the evening of the same day, there were more heated moods in a panel on climate justice, at the stand in Germany, which also had the presence of Seif and another Egyptian activist who spoke about the critical situation of human rights in the country – there are estimates that indicate tens of thousands of political prisoners.

After the event, a woman began shouting accusations towards the panelists. Another group, in defense of Seif’s family situation, started the chant: “Free Alaa, free them all” (in free translation, free Alaa, free them all, referring to Seif’s brother).

One of those responsible for the German stand had to intervene and ask the audience to calm down.

This Thursday (10), Seif returned to COP27 for another symbolic act, in a space between COP27 pavilions, with several people dressed in white. The idea of ​​wearing light clothing, as a discreet form of protest by political prisoners, for climate justice and human rights, was publicized during the panel at the German stand.

It is worth mentioning that protests are generally prohibited in Egypt, something that, since before the conference, has caused concern among activists. COPs are usually places of great action and involvement of civil society, including through protests in the cities where they are taking place.

The climate conference is seen as an opportunity for the evolution of the situation of political prisoner Fattah, who began a hunger strike in protest of the conditions under which he was treated, including access to British authorities being barred, according to the family.

Fattah’s situation has come to the attention of state and government leaders who pass through the COP, including British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak.

On this farm, it looked like there would be an evolution of the situation. A lawyer connected with the political prisoner’s case received authorization to visit him in prison. The legal representative, however, was later prevented from making the visit.

Seif said on Tuesday that he feared his brother was being force-fed by the Egyptian state in order to prevent his death during COP27, when the case is receiving a lot of attention around the world.

“If that’s the case, he’s plunged into an even worse nightmare than the one he already was in,” Seif said.

According to another of Fattah’s sisters, his mother would have heard, at the prison door, that the activist had undergone medical intervention.

A post a few hours ago from the Egyptian public prosecutor gives a brief account of Fattah’s story and states that the last visit received by the political prisoner took place on November 7, which the family denies. The message also states that the activist is in good health.

The Egyptian ambassador to Brazil Wael Aboulmagd was asked about Fattah’s health situation this Thursday during a press conference. He stated that he does not know what is happening outside the COP.

“What happens outside is not important to me,” said Aboulmagd.

_{The Planeta em Transe project is supported by the Open Society Foundations.}