The U.K. prime minister has been criticised after publicly welcoming Alaa Abd el‑Fattah, a dual national recently freed from an Egyptian prison, as historic social media posts attributed to him resurfaced. Abd el‑Fattah returned after a travel ban was lifted following years in detention, prompting Conservative calls for the prime minister to withdraw his endorsement. The Foreign Office condemned the historic tweets as "abhorrent" but stressed that advocating for his release did not imply approval of those posts. The authenticity and context of the resurfaced comments remain disputed.
Starmer Faces Backlash After Praising Return Of Activist Freed From Egyptian Prison As Old Tweets Resurface
FILE - Pro-democracy activist Alaa Abd el-Fattah, who was in prison for almost all of the past 12 years, speaks to his friends at his home after he got a presidential pardon, in Cairo, Tuesday, Sept. 23, 2025. (AP Photo/Khaled Elfiqi, File)
The U.K. prime minister has come under criticism after publicly welcoming the return of human rights activist Alaa Abd el‑Fattah, who was recently released from an Egyptian prison. The celebratory remarks coincided with the circulation of historical social media posts attributed to the activist that reportedly contain violent and antisemitic language.
Background
Successive British governments had made securing the freedom of Abd el‑Fattah — a dual national who spent most of the past 14 years behind bars in Egypt — a long‑running priority. He arrived in the U.K. on Friday after Egyptian authorities lifted a travel ban that had kept him in the country since his release in September.
The Controversy
Prime Minister Keir Starmer paid tribute to Abd el‑Fattah and his family, saying he was "delighted" that the activist had been reunited with loved ones. Conservative justice spokesman Robert Jenrick criticised that public endorsement and asked whether Starmer was aware of historic social media posts in which Abd el‑Fattah allegedly appeared to endorse violence against "Zionists" and police.
"Nobody should be imprisoned arbitrarily nor for peaceful dissent. But neither should the prime minister place the authority of his office behind someone whose own words cross into the language of racism and bloodshed," wrote Mr Jenrick.
Government Response
The Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) said efforts to secure Abd el‑Fattah's release had been a long‑standing priority for governments from both major parties, and that this advocacy should not be read as approval of any historic social media posts. "The government condemns Mr El‑Fattah's historic tweets and considers them to be abhorrent," an FCDO spokesman said, using an alternative styling of his name.
Family Campaign And Context
Abd el‑Fattah's family in Britain had campaigned vigorously for his release, arguing he had been jailed largely for his political opposition to Egyptian President Abdel‑Fattah el‑Sissi's government. His mother, Laila Soueif, 69, mounted a 10‑month hunger strike to press British authorities to do more to secure her son's freedom.
Authenticity And Reactions
Critics circulated the historic posts soon after Abd el‑Fattah arrived at Heathrow, but it was not immediately clear whether the posts are authentic. The Times of London reported that Abd el‑Fattah has previously said the comments were taken out of context and formed part of a "private conversation" during an Israeli military offensive in the Gaza Strip. Abd el‑Fattah's press team did not immediately respond to requests for comment.
Note: Reporting uses various stylings of the activist's name (e.g., Alaa Abd El‑Fattah, Alaa Abd el‑Fattah, Mr El‑Fattah); all refer to the same individual.
