The difficult situation of the jailed writer is the “center” of Lammy’s meeting with his Egyptian counterpart

David Lammy raised the case of an activist British-Egipcio prison activist before officials in Cairo this week, said Downing Street, while facing criticism from the mother of man for her current imprisonment.

Laila Soueif, who has been on hunger strike in protest for the treatment of his son Alaa Abd El-Fattah in Egypt, has urged Sir Keir Starmer to intervene because “time ends.”

On Friday he accused the prime minister of not “dignified to answer” to a letter that he sent him last week about the difficult situation of his son.

Abd El-Fattaah, 43, has been detained in Egypt since September 29, 2019 and in December 2021 he was sentenced to five years in prison after being accused of spreading false news.

When asked about the case on Friday, number 10 said that his imprisonment had been a “center” of Lammy’s meetings with the Egyptian government when he visited the country on Thursday.

He added that the prime minister had also raised the case to the Egyptian President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi.

When asked if the prime minister would meet with Mrs. Souief, a number 10 spokesman said: “Obviously, we will organize the meetings of prime ministers in the usual way.”

On whether he plans to respond to his letter, the official said: “I have no updated information about that specific point … In terms of schedules, the Minister of Foreign Affairs raised this case several times to his counterpart, the most recent in Saudi Arabia” . Arabia when he met there with the Minister of Foreign Affairs of Egypt. ”

When asked if Sir Keir had a message for Mrs. Soueif on the 117th day of her hunger strike, number 10 said there would be an “update in due time” after she wrote to the prime minister.

“In terms of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, our officials remain in regular contact with her and her family to check their well -being,” said the spokesman.

Abd El-Fattaah has spent most of the last decade in prison due to his criticism to the rulers of Egypt and cannot see his little son who lives in Brighton.

His mother has been hungry strike for 117 and promises not to eat until he is released.

Soueif, 68, warned Friday that his “blood sugar levels are going down” to 2.8 mmol/l and “every day I feel more tired.”

“I have always said that, ultimately, it is the prime minister who must speak directly with President Sisi to guarantee Alaa’s freedom,” he said on Friday.

“There was hope that Mr. Lammy brought Alaa back with him and brought him together with his son in Brighton, but it is clear that this is not happening. I am devastated by my son and my grandson. They deserve to be together.

“But I have always said that, ultimately, it is the prime minister who must speak directly with President Sisi to guarantee Alaa’s freedom. Mr. Starmer has not even deigned to respond to the letter I sent him more than a week ago requesting a meeting.

“The prime minister should know that time ends. My blood sugar levels are going down and every day I feel more tired. He needs to intervene to take Alaa to his family in the United Kingdom before it is too late. ”

Sanaa Seif, sister of Abd El-Fattaah, welcomed with satisfaction that the Minister of Foreign Affairs raised the case of his brother, but insisted that he required the intervention of the prime minister.

“My family needs Keir Starmer to intervene and speak directly with President Sisi to free Alaa,” he said.

“Why does the prime minister ignore our meeting request? Is the Prime Minister waiting until my mother is in the hospital to pay attention to us?

“I have been told that Alaa is a priority for the British government and I want to believe it, but we need Keir Starmer to act now before it is too late.”