Laila Soueif has been on a hunger strike for 151 days to demand the release of her son, Alaa Abd El Fattah, a political prisoner in Egypt. Her health has severely declined, leading to hospitalization due to dangerously low blood sugar and blood pressure. Soueif continues to advocate for increased pressure on the British government to assist in her son’s release from prison.
Laila Soueif, the mother of Alaa Abd El Fattah, a notable political prisoner in Egypt, has entered her 151st day of a hunger strike aimed at advocating for her son’s release from incarceration. At 68 years of age, Ms. Soueif, a British citizen, has sustained herself only on water and electrolyte-enhanced fluids since late September after learning her son, who expected to be released, would remain imprisoned.
Ms. Soueif has publicly criticized the lack of action by the British government to intervene in her son’s situation, stressing her resolve to escalate pressure. She had previously conveyed to The New York Times, “When people ask, ‘What do you think you’re doing?’ I say, ‘I’m creating a crisis.’” During her hunger strike, she has also spent significant time in the United Kingdom while continuing her protest.
Recently, she was hospitalized in London due to dangerously low blood sugar and blood pressure levels, underscoring the severe health risks posed by her ongoing fast. Her family has raised alarms about her critical condition and the potential for sudden death. Ms. Soueif’s actions have highlighted the plight of her son and the struggles of political activists in Egypt, garnering international attention to their cause.
Laila Soueif’s relentless hunger strike symbolizes the urgent struggle for political prisoners’ rights in Egypt. Her deteriorating health raises grave concerns regarding the lengths individuals are willing to go in the fight for justice. The situation not only emphasizes the need for international diplomatic engagement but also sheds light on the significant risks faced by activists and their families.
Original Source: www.nytimes.com
