Imprisoned Egyptian activist calls off hunger strike

The family of imprisoned Egyptian activist Ali Abdel-Fattah says they received a letter from him on Tuesday saying he has ended his hunger strike.The family said in a statement that Abdel-Fattahs mother, Laila Soueif, received a short note from the political activist via the prison authorities in her sons handwriting.

The family of imprisoned Egyptian activist Ali Abdel-Fattah says they received a letter from him on Tuesday saying he has ended his hunger strike.

The family said in a statement that Abdel-Fattah's mother, Laila Soueif, received a short note from the political activist via the prison authorities in her son's handwriting. The letter is dated Monday. In it, he asks her to visit him in prison on Thursday.

''I've broken my strike. I'll explain everything on Thursday,'' the letter read.

The news comes a day after the renowned dissident announced the end of his water striker on Monday via a similar handwritten letter delivered to the family.

The prison authorities began a medical intervention on the hunger striker last Thursday after he escalated his partial hunger strike to include water on November 6, the first day of Egypt's hosting of the international climate summit, to pressure authorities for his release.