CAIRO: The sister of Egyptian-British activist Alaa Abd el-Fattah said the family had received a letter from prison that served as "proof of life" from the hunger striker, who said he had resumed drinking water.
Abd el-Fattah, who has been on hunger strike against his detention and prison conditions for more than 220 days, had said he was escalating his protest by ceasing to drink water on Nov. 6, the opening day of the COP27 climate summit in Egypt.
Since then his family and his lawyer had made repeated trips to the prison where he is detained northwest of Cairo, but had received no news on his condition.
"Alaa is alive, he says he's drinking water again as of November 12th," Sanaa Seif said on Twitter. "It's definitely his handwriting. Proof of life, at last."
The family shared a copy of the note, which said he was receiving medical attention and his vital signs were good. It also asked them to bring vitamins.
Abd el-Fattah's strike has overshadowed United Nations climate talks in the Red Sea resort of Sharm el-Sheikh, where several leaders have raised the case with Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi, including U.S. President Joe Biden.
U.S. National Security Adviser Jake Sullivan said after the meeting on Friday that Washington was doing everything it could to secure Abd el-Fattah's freedom "as well as the release of a number of other political prisoners" in Egypt.
Since Abd el-Fattah obtained British citizenship in December, British officials have sought unsuccessfully to secure consular access. British foreign minister James Cleverly said on Monday the government would keep trying.
Abd el-Fattah's lawyer Khaled Ali said he visited the prison but was unable to get approval to see Abd el-Fattah from officials for a second consecutive day despite authorisation from the public prosecutor's office.
"Why have they been refusing his lawyer access to him, even with a permit? Why did they hold this letter back from us for two days?" his sister Sanaa said in a statement.
"Alaa is still on hunger strike, the UK embassy has still failed to achieve consular access (and) he’s still arbitrarily detained with no end in sight."
Since 2013, when then-army chief Sisi ousted President Mohamed Mursi of the Muslim Brotherhood, there has been a far-reaching crackdown on political dissent that has swept up liberals and leftists, as well as Islamists. Human rights groups say tens of thousands have been jailed.
A media watchdog said on Monday that a journalist had been detained on charges including publishing fake news after he said on Facebook, citing an unnamed source, that Abd el-Fattah had been subject to forcible measures to keep him alive.
The Egyptian Observatory for Journalism and Media said Ahmed Fayez was detained on Thursday in Cairo.
Sisi, who became president in 2014, says security and stability are paramount and denies there are political prisoners in Egypt.
Reuters
Tue Nov 15 2022
Egyptian-British hunger striker Alaa Abd el-Fattah poses for a photo in unknown location, in this undated handout image obtained by Reuters. - Courtesy of Omar Robert Hamilton/Handout via REUTERS
Rwanda catat 7 lagi kes virus Marburg dan satu lagi kematian
Rwanda mencatatkan tujuh kes baharu penyakit virus Marburg dan satu lagi kematian.
Menurut angka terkini yang dikeluarkan lewat Rabu Kementerian Kesihatan Rwanda,
jumlah keseluruhan jangkitan virus Marburg sejak wabak bermula kini sebanyak 36 kes, dengan 11 kematian dilaporkan setakat ini.
Menurut angka terkini yang dikeluarkan lewat Rabu Kementerian Kesihatan Rwanda,
jumlah keseluruhan jangkitan virus Marburg sejak wabak bermula kini sebanyak 36 kes, dengan 11 kematian dilaporkan setakat ini.
Lebih 140 sekolah UNRWA diserang sejak 7 Oktober
Lebih 140 sekolah UNRWA diserang sejak 7 Oktober dalam keadaan dimana penduduk Gaza berlindung di bawah naungan PBB.
Perkara itu dimaklumkan Pesuruhjaya Agung Agensi Bantuan dan Kerja Pertubuhan Bangsa-Bangsa Bersatu untuk Pelarian Palestin (UNRWA) Philippe Lazzarini dalam satu hantaran di X.
Perkara itu dimaklumkan Pesuruhjaya Agung Agensi Bantuan dan Kerja Pertubuhan Bangsa-Bangsa Bersatu untuk Pelarian Palestin (UNRWA) Philippe Lazzarini dalam satu hantaran di X.
28 petugas dilapor maut dalam tempoh 24 jam lalu di Lubnan
28 petugas kesihatan dilaporkan terbunuh dalam tempoh 24 jam lalu di Lubnan.
Perkara itu dimaklumkan Ketua Pengarah Pertubuhan Kesihatan Sedunia (WHO) Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus pada Khamis.
Perkara itu dimaklumkan Ketua Pengarah Pertubuhan Kesihatan Sedunia (WHO) Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus pada Khamis.
UNIFIL kekal pada posisi walaupun didesak berundur
Pasukan pengaman PBB di selatan Lubnan terus bertahan pada kedudukan mereka, di bawah mandat UNSC, walaupun diarah Israel untuk berundur.
G7 desak pemain serantau di Asia Barat bertindak cermat dalam krisis
Pemimpin Kumpulan Tujuh (G7) mengulangi kebimbangan mereka terhadap krisis di Asia Barat dan menyeru pemain serantau supaya bertindak dengan bertanggungjawab serta berhemah.
Mereka turut menegaskan sokongan penuh terhadap keselamatan Israel.
Mereka turut menegaskan sokongan penuh terhadap keselamatan Israel.
AS sokong operasi Israel di Lubnan meski risiko meluaskan konflik
Pentadbiran Joe Biden menyatakan bahawa adalah wajar untuk Israel meneruskan serangan darat dan udara terhadap Hezbollah buat masa ini, menurut jurucakap Jabatan Negara Amerika Syarikat, Matthew Miller.
Namun, beliau mengakui risiko operasi di Lubnan mungkin melangkaui matlamat semasa Israel.
Namun, beliau mengakui risiko operasi di Lubnan mungkin melangkaui matlamat semasa Israel.
Politik stabil, dasar kerajaan tarik minat syarikat global melabur di Malaysia - Gobind
Menurut Menteri Digital Gobind Singh Deo, pada masa ini terdapat banyak perbincangan, tidak hanya antara syarikat-syarikat di negara serantau malah dunia berhubung perkara itu.
Lawatan negara Anwar ke Pakistan raih potensi perdagangan RM2.65 bilion - Tengku Zafrul
Pakistan turut beri komitmen untuk tingkat import minyak kelapa sawit dari Malaysia dan import produk berasaskan kayu, baja, petrokimia.
Tiada potensi penyelesaian diplomatik konflik Israel-Palestin
PM Anwar Ibrahim akui usaha diplomatik gagal hentikan kekejaman Israel di Palestin dan Lubnan, menyalahkan sokongan kuat dari Amerika Syarikat sebagai punca.
Malaysia dan Pakistan perkukuh kerjasama menentang ekstremisme
PM Anwar Ibrahim menyeru Malaysia dan Pakistan untuk memperhebat usaha bersama dalam memerangi keganasan melalui kerjasama risikan, strategi, dan pembaharuan pendidikan serta sosial.