Decision expected soon after reports in Cairo about status of imprisoned dual-national human rights activist
Keir Starmer has spoken to Abdel Fatah al-Sisi amid reports the Egyptian president has directed his officials to study an internal request to grant a pardon to release the British-Egyptian human rights activist and writer Alaa Abd el-Fattah.
Abd el-Fattah’s British-based family are not commenting on developments save to say they are praying for his release.
The readout of Wednesday’s phone call between Sisi and Starmer focused on the Israeli bombing of Hamas members in Qatar, the threat of a mass displacement of Palestinians in Gaza and preparations for the UN conference this month on a two-state solution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict on which the UK and Egypt have been closely cooperating. Sisi welcomed the UK decision to recognise a Palestinian state.
The Downing Street readout also referred to steps to strengthen bilateral ties in the future. The release of Abd el-Fattah is a Foreign Office priority. The two leaders last spoke in July.
