Urgent Action: PROMINENT ACTIVIST DENIED CONSULAR VISIT (Egypt 132.19)

Prominent Egyptian-British activist, Alaa Abdel Fattah, has spent 52 months arbitrarily detained simply for exercising his human rights. On December 20, 2021, he was convicted on bogus charges and sentenced to five years in prison, following a grossly unfair trial. Alaa Abdel Fattah, who has spent most of the past decade behind bars, was subjected to a litany of human rights violations, including prolonged arbitrary detention, unfair trial, torture and other ill-treatment, and periodic bans on family visits. Egyptian authorities continue to deny him access to consular visits from UK officials. Alaa Abdel Fattah should be immediately and unconditionally released as his detention is solely linked to the exercise of his human rights. 

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sample letter:

Your Excellency, 

I am concerned over the prolonged unjust imprisonment of prominent Egyptian-British activist, Alaa Abdel Fattah. He is serving an unjust five-year prison sentence imposed on December 20, 2021, where he was convicted on bogus charges, following a grossly unfair trial.

According to his sister, Sanaa Seif, Alaa Abdel Fattah’s conditions of detention have improved in recent months. However, authorities continue to deny him access to his lawyers, consular visits from the British authorities, and phone calls to his family. Prison authorities have also denied Alaa Abdel Fattah access to fresh air and sunlight since 2019. Because of Covid-19 restrictions, family visits are limited to once a month for twenty minutes behind a glass barrier and through a headset. Alaa Abdel Fattah has thus been unable to communicate with his son, who is autistic and nonverbal. 

I urge you to release Alaa Abdel Fattah immediately and unconditionally, as he is detained solely for exercising his human rights. Pending his release, he must have regular access to his lawyers, family, and adequate healthcare and be held in conditions that meet international standards for the treatment of prisoners. He must be granted a consular visit without further delay. 

Yours sincerely,

[YOUR NAME]

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