Maša Mrovlje

"I am writing as the GP who has seen Dr. Soueif on 24th January... My concern is the rapid weight loss and lack of nutrition will inevitably lead to serious implications and worst case scenario, death, so I would like to offer this letter of support for the government to fight for her son's release to prevent Dr Soueif from paying the consequences with her own life" Laila's GP letter detailing the dangerous impacts of the hunger strike on her health and imploring the government to fight for Alaa's release. Full text below. @Keir_Starmer #FreeAlaa "To Whom It May Concern, I am writing as the GP who has seen Dr Soueif today on 24th January 2025 following her return to the UK. The history regarding her son’s imprisonment in Egypt has been relayed to me as the reason why she is undertaking a hunger strike. I would like to offer this letter to implore to the government the impact of her hunger strike on her physical health at this point. As a 68 year woman, she has lost 21kg and perhaps more, this is a huge amount and dangerous. In the last week she has started to accumulate fluid in her legs up to her knees; my hypothesis for this is the hunger strike is potentially causing the new underactive thyroid gland, which now requires treatment, or that she is starting to develop heart failure. Both of these are detrimental to her health and the latter could be very serious. Alongside this, she is having regular daily low sugar levels and can develop potentially fatal electrolyte (salt etc) abnormalities she is high risk for being hospitalised the longer this continues. She has said she will not accept any glucose treatment so my concern is that this and the rapid weight loss and lack of nutrition will inevitably lead to serious health implications and worst case scenario, death, so I would like to offer this letter of support for the government to fight for her son’s release to prevent Dr Soueif from paying the consequences with her own life."

Today, at a UN UPR session in Geneva scrutinising Egypt's human rights record, the UK government publicly stated for the first time that Alaa Abd el-Fattah's sentence has ended and that his continued detention is “unacceptable”. gov.uk/government/speeches/u…

A heartbreaking update from Alaa’s younger sister, Sanaa who went to visit Alaa in prison in Egypt yesterday on day 120 of their mother, Laila’s hungerstrike, to tell him that Laila’s health is deterioriating. “I saw Alaa today. I went to the prison carrying two plastic chairs with me. I knew it was going to be a tough visit. I was worried my legs would give in if I had to have this conversation with him standing—there are no chairs in the no-contact visitation booth. In the end, the chair I brought with me was too short for the phone cord, so the whole thing was awkward anyway. But whatever, that’s not the point. I told him Mama’s holding on, but she’s right on the brink. I told him I’m scared she’s going to end up in hospital while I’m still stuck here in Egypt and she’s in London. Her blood sugar is in the 50’s (2.7 mmol/L) now. [The International Hypoglycaemia Study Group considers a glucose concentration less than 3.0mmol/L to be sufficiently low to indicate serious hypoglycaemia. A Hypoglycaemic Coma can be life-threatening and cause brain damage]. Her legs are swollen, her thyroid is acting up, her mind is starting to slip, she gets things mixed up. But she’s still Mama—resilient and stubborn, as always. I asked him what he expects of me, if and when she’s hospitalised. He told me to stay close to Mama. I told him I couldn’t imagine missing a visit with him. We agreed I’d follow my gut when the time comes. I asked him if we should try bringing her over for one more visit. He said, No - we can’t gamble - it’s too dangerous for her - she can't travel. And then, he calmed me down. I really needed my big brother to tell me it was going to be alright in that moment, and that’s exactly what he did. A kind visit, in the midst of all the cruelty in our lives.” Sanaa was imprisoned by the Egyptian regime three times (2014-2017-2020) since the age of 20 for struggling for her brother’s right to be free, and since her release has continued to fight for her brother and the rights of all political prisoners in Egypt.

‘I will keep up Downing Street hunger strike until my son is free or I collapse’ Laila's interview in the Metro this morning. She is getting ready to head back out in the cold to stand outside Number 10 #FreeAlaa metro.co.uk/2025/01/14/i-wil…

Merehan, Riham, Asem and "Pluto" are fasting today in solidarity with Laila Soueif on her 105th day of hunger strike. #FreeAlaa to save Laila. tally.so/r/mYoe2J ميرهان وريهام وعاصم و"بلوتو" يصومون اليوم إسنادُا لليلى سويف في يوم إضرابها رقم ١٠٥. #الحرية_لعلاء_عبد_الفتاح والحياة لليلى. tally.so/r/3x0gWv #تجوع_ليحيا

On day 106 of her hunger strike, Laila is starting daily visits to Downing Street to remind Prime Minister @Keir_Starmer of the urgency to secure the release of her son Alaa from prison in Egypt. “I know that Mr. Starmer has written to President Sisi to request the release of my son Alaa, but at this stage of my hunger strike I cannot wait for an exchange of letters. I am running out of time. We have been lucky that my body has been resilient so far, but the British government should not waste this luck. We are getting closer and closer by the day to my collapse or hospitalisation." "I know Mr. Starmer can make this happen, but he needs to act now, before it is too late. I will not eat until Alaa is free.” Laila will sit outside Downing Street on Whitehall between 10am-11am each working day of the week until the health effects of her hunger strike mean she is unable to do so #FreeAlaa

Today is Laila’s 100th day of hunger strike in protest at her son’s continued illegal imprisonment. We are extremely concerned by the lack of urgency being demonstrated by the British government. They seem to be waiting for Laila to be hospitalised before they act decisively to secure Alaa’s freedom. Laila could fall into a critical state at any time. @Keir_Starmer @DavidLammy @FCDOGovUK what are you waiting for? #FreeAlaa

This exhausted face is not the result of old age or illness. It’s the face of an Egyptian mother, now on day 91 of a hunger strike, fighting to stop the abuse against her son, Alaa Abd El Fattah—a man who remains imprisoned despite having completed his five-year sentence. Her life is in danger. Her son spent his youth behind bars. His own son turned 13, barely knowing his father. How could Alaa’s release possibly harm you? How many stolen lives can your consciences bear? This is Dr. Laila Soueif—wife of the late Ahmed Seif, mother of Alaa, Mona, and Sanaa. Her kindness knows no bounds, and her determination to fight for justice is unbreakable. All she wants is for her family to reunite, to live a normal life, and to heal after years of imprisonment and loss. #FreeAlaa @aidaseif

Alaa Abdel Fattah is on day 86 of unlawful imprisonment; his mother, Laila Soueif, is on day 86 of hunger strike. Three people are joining her in a solidarity one-day strike. A fourth person is carrying on for the third day in a row. Can you join tomorrow? #FreeAlaa tally.so/r/mYoe2J علاء عبد الفتاح محتجز خارج نطاق القانون منذ ٨٦ يومًا. والدته ليلى سويف #تجوع_ليحيا منذ ٨٦ يومًا. يصوم مع ليلى اليوم ثلاثة متضامنين، ويتابع رابع إضرابه لليوم الثالث على التوالي. من ينضم إلى سلسلة الصيام التتابعي غدًا؟ #الحرية_لعلاء_عبد_الفتاح tally.so/r/3x0gWv

‘I’ll starve myself until I collapse to secure my son’s release from Egyptian prison’, vows grandmother A good write-up in the Independent of Dr. Laila Soueif's mission to save her son. independent.co.uk/news/uk/ho…