Hunger for Justice: A Mother's Unyielding Protest for Her Son

Laila Soueif, mother of jailed activist Alaa Abd el-Fattah, was hospitalized after 150 days on a hunger strike protesting his imprisonment. Despite declining health, she continues her strike to demand Abd el-Fattah's release, with support from the British government and former prison mate Peter Greste.

Laila Soueif, the mother of Egyptian-British dissident Alaa Abd el-Fattah, was hospitalized Monday night, marking a critical point in her 150-day hunger strike. The 68-year-old Soueif, who has lost nearly 30 kilograms, was admitted due to dangerously low blood sugar levels, her daughter shared online.

Abd el-Fattah, an activist and blogger known for his role in the 2011 Arab Spring, is serving a five-year sentence in Egypt linked to a social media post. His mother's ongoing protest began when authorities failed to release him on the promised date of September 29. Soueif has sustained herself on herbal tea, black coffee, and rehydration salts since starting her strike.

Support for Abd el-Fattah's release has included appeals from British Prime Minister Keir Starmer and Foreign Secretary David Lammy, who have raised the issue with their Egyptian counterparts. Notably, his former cellmate, journalist Peter Greste, joined Soueif in her hunger strike last month.