Laila Soueif hospitalized in London after 244-day hunger strike protesting her son Alaa Abd el-Fattah’s imprisonment in Egypt; doctors warn of imminent risk to her life.
Laila Soueif, a 69-year-old British-Egyptian academic and mother of imprisoned activist Alaa Abd el-Fattah, has been hospitalized in London following a 244-day hunger strike protesting her son’s continued detention in Egypt.
Doctors at St Thomas’ Hospital report that her blood sugar levels have dropped to undetectable levels, and her ketone levels are dangerously high, indicating a severe risk of sudden death and irreversible organ damage.
Soueif began her hunger strike on September 29, 2024, the date her son was expected to be released after serving a five-year sentence for “spreading false news”.
A charge stemming from a Facebook post about torture in Egyptian prisons.
However, Egyptian authorities extended his detention, citing pre-trial periods not counted towards his sentence.
In March 2025, Soueif paused her strike after UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer assured her of pressing Egypt for her son’s release.
Disheartened by the lack of progress, she resumed her full hunger strike on May 20, 2025. )
Alaa Abd el-Fattah, a prominent figure in Egypt’s 2011 revolution, has spent much of the past 14 years in prison.
Despite obtaining British citizenship in 2021, efforts by the UK government to secure his release have been unsuccessful.
The United Nations Working Group on Arbitrary Detention has declared his imprisonment a violation of international law and called for his immediate release.
Soueif’s daughter, Sanaa, expressed despair over her mother’s condition, stating, “A couple of hours ago I thought we were going to lose her.”
The family continues to urge the UK government to take decisive action to secure Abd el-Fattah’s release and prevent further deterioration of Soueif’s health.
