For the better part of the last 14 years, Alaa Abd el-Fattah, a dual British-Egyptian national, had been detained in Egypt, prompting successive British administrations to advocate for his release.
On Friday, Abd el-Fattah finally returned to the United Kingdom after Egyptian officials removed a travel restriction that had kept him in the country since his release in September.
Robert Jenrick, the Conservative party’s spokesperson on justice, questioned whether Keir Starmer was aware of old social media posts in which Abd el-Fattah allegedly supported violence against “Zionists” and police. Jenrick urged Starmer to denounce these statements and revoke his “unqualified support” for the activist.
“No one should face imprisonment for arbitrary reasons or peaceful protest,” Jenrick stated. “However, the prime minister should not endorse an individual whose words veer into racist and violent rhetoric.”
The Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office emphasized that securing Abd el-Fattah’s release had been a “long-standing priority” for both major political parties, yet this did not equate to an endorsement of his controversial posts, as clarified by a spokesperson.
“The government finds Mr. El-Fattah’s past tweets reprehensible and condemns them,” the statement read.
Abd el-Fattahâs family in the U.K. had vigorously campaigned for his release, arguing that he had spent most of the past 14 years behind bars because of his opposition to the government of President Abdel-Fattah el-Sissi.
His mother, Laila Soueif, 69, staged a 10-month hunger strike to pressure British authorities to do more to secure her sonâs release.
Starmer on Friday paid tribute to Abd el-Fattahâs family and all the others who campaigned for his freedom.
âIâm delighted that Alaa Abd El-Fattah is back in the UK and has been reunited with his loved ones, who must be feeling profound relief,â Starmer said.
But soon after Abd el-Fattah arrived at Londonâs Heathrow Airport, critics began circulating historical social media posts in which he appeared to endorse the killing of Zionists and police.
The Times of London reported that Abd el-Fattah has previously said the comments were taken out of context and were part of a âprivate conversationâ that took place during an Israeli offensive in the Gaza Strip.
Abd el-Fattahâs press team didnât immediately response to a request for comment, and it was not immediately clear whether the posts were authentic.
