Alaa Ahmed Seif Abd El-Fattah

About

Egyptian-British blogger, activist, and software developer. For his work in human rights activism and protests against fascist government practices, he's been in and out of prison or on parole for most of his adult life. He is currently in prison under wrongful charges having first been kidnapped by police and held without charges or sentencing for two years. In December 2021 the government finally came down with a sentencing claiming he had spread false information that "undermined national security." He was sentenced to 5 additional years in prison. 

Before Fame

Although he did not participate in the September 2019 Egyptian protests that took place in multiple locations such as Cairo, Alexandria, and Damietta, he was kidnapped by police that same night. At the time of the protest, he was under police custody due to the terms of his probation requiring him to spend 12 hours every day in custody. He was released, but he was apprehended and kidnapped by police and never returned home. His family investigated and released what information they could figure out. They learned that he had been re-arrested by the State Security Prosecution and was being held without charge. Furthermore, he was tortured by inmates upon arrival at Tora Prison where they housed him for the remainder of his stay.

Trivia

He speaks both Arabic and English. He was able to achieve British citizenship through his mother's status as a citizen while in prison in 2022. After achieving the status of dual citizenship and being denied access to British government officials, he began a hunger strike in April 2022. In May it was reported his health had greatly deteriorated and that the prison officials were not allowing him to seek medical attention. The last information known about his condition in June of 2022 implied that both his family and he believed he would die in prison if the Egyptian government continued to deny the UK's requests for amnesty. 

Family Life

He is married to fellow activist Manal Bahey El-Din Hassan. He missed many major life events during his numerous imprisonments such as the birth of his son Kahled in 2011 and the death of his father Ahmed Seif El-Islam Hamad in 2014. His family is fully supportive of him, his father was a human rights advocate and lawyer while his mother Laila Soueif is a women's right activist and mathematician. He also has two sisters who are both involved in human rights activism: Mona and Sanaa Seif. 

Associated With

Major celebrities across the globe have voiced their support for his release including Mark Ruffalo, Dame Judi Dench, Stephen Fry, and Carey Mulligan.