In brief
Laila Soueif, a 68-year-old British and Egyptian citizen, has been hospitalized due to dangerously low blood sugar and pressure as she continues her hunger strike demanding the release of her son, Alaa Abd El Fattah, a prominent political prisoner in Egypt.
Article Text: Laila Soueif, the mother of Alaa Abd El Fattah, one of Egypt’s most high-profile political prisoners, is facing a severe health crisis as her hunger strike to demand her son’s release has now lasted 151 days. According to medical professionals, she is at risk of sudden death after being hospitalized with critically low levels of blood sugar and blood pressure.Ms. Soueif, 68, a distinguished mathematician and professor, has survived since late September on a minimal intake of water, rehydration salts, and sugar-free beverages, according to her family. Her hunger strike was initiated after it became apparent that her son, Alaa, would not be released as anticipated following the completion of a five-year prison sentence.The activist’s mother, who is also a British citizen, has been vocal in her demands towards the British government, urging them to leverage their diplomatic and economic relationships with Egypt in a bid to secure her son’s freedom. In a statement to The New York Times last autumn, she described her efforts as an attempt to "create a crisis," to pressure authorities into action.Although residing primarily in Cairo, Ms. Soueif has also been spending time in the UK during her hunger strike. On February 26, she was admitted to a hospital in London, highlighting the serious implications of her ongoing protest for her son, who is now 43. Abd El Fattah was sentenced to five years in 2021 after sharing a social media post about prison abuses, drawing international condemnation.
