A British-Egyptian pro-democracy activist who went on hunger strike has started eating again, his family has said.
Alaa Abd El-Fattah had been on a partial hunger strike in an Egyptian jail against his detention and prison conditions for the last six months, taking just 100 calories a day.
On Tuesday, his family said they had received a note, in what they believe to be his handwriting, telling his mother Laila Soueif that he has broken his hunger strike, and wishes to celebrate his 41st birthday when they visit him on Thursday.
Written from inside Wadi al-Natrun prison near Cairo, the 40-year-old, who turns 41 this Friday, said: “How are you, Mama? Don’t worry, I’m OK. Your short letter got through, and I feel better now knowing you’re OK.
“The mp3 [music player] got through too. I’ll see you on the visit day and tell you everything then and we’ll get back to long letters after the visit.
“The important thing is I want to celebrate my birthday with you on Thursday, I haven’t celebrated for a long time, and want to celebrate with my cellmates, so bring a cake, normal provisions, I’ve broken my strike. I’ll explain everything on Thursday.
“Lots of love, I miss you and long for your company, Alaa.”
Alaa Abd El-Fattah: British-Egyptian activist on prison hunger strike is alive, says sister
British-Egyptian activist undergoing ‘medical intervention’ days after escalating hunger strike
Egyptian MP removed from COP27 meeting about jailed hunger striker after shouting at his sister
Please use Chrome browser for a more accessible video player
His sister, Mona Seif, said: “I feel cautiously relieved now knowing that at least he’s not on hunger strike but my heart won’t really be settled until Thursday when my mother and sister see him with their own eyes.”
His sister Sanaa Seif tweeted: “We just got this letter. Alaa has broken his hunger strike. I don’t know what’s happening inside, but our family visit is scheduled for Thursday and he’s saying to bring a cake to celebrate his birthday.”
A day earlier she had tweeted that her brother was still alive after he escalated his hunger strike last week and stopped taking water to coincide with the start of the COP27 climate change summit in the Red Sea resort Sharm El-Sheikh.
Refusing to drink water in an attempt to try and persuade British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak, who attended the UN-led summit this week, to rally for his release, Mr Abd El-Fattah’s family had not heard anything about his condition for several days.
Their monthly 20-minute prison visits are conducted through a glass barrier.
Mr Abd El-Fattah was sentenced to five years in prison in December last year after being charged with spreading fake news over a Facebook post he shared about human rights abuses in Egyptian prisons in 2019.
