Laila Soueif, the mother of British-Egyptian activist Alaa Abdel Fattah, has reached 100 days on hunger strike.
The 68-year-old mathematics professor began her strike on September 29, protesting her son’s continued imprisonment in Egypt.
Her son, a prominent dissident and 2011 revolution figure, remains jailed despite completing a five-year sentence for “spreading false news.”
Soueif claims the UK government has failed to act decisively, saying it might take her hospitalization for them to intervene.
Surviving solely on black coffee, herbal tea, and rehydration salts, Soueif’s resilience underscores her unwavering fight for justice.
Abdel Fattah, now 43, was due for release in September, but authorities excluded two years spent in pre-trial detention from his sentence.
The family, including Soueif and her two daughters, has been protesting weekly outside the UK Foreign Office in central London.
British Foreign Secretary David Lammy met Soueif in November after mounting parliamentary pressure on the government to take action.
Critics allege the UK has prioritized its diplomatic and trade ties with Egypt over advocating for Abdel Fattah’s release.
Abdel Fattah’s activism in the 2011 uprising made him a symbol of hope, but his defiance has made him a target of repression.
Despite promises of reform, Cairo’s human rights record remains troubling, with thousands of political prisoners still behind bars.
Soueif’s hunger strike has become a stark reminder of the human cost of political inaction and international indifference.
