Free Alaa

Alaa Abd el-Fattah is a British-Egyptian writer, software developer & Amnesty Prisoner of Conscience unjustly imprisoned in Egypt #FreeAlaa

[Alaa Abd El Fattah @alaa]

My new vibecoding toy project is a musical instrument: https://t.co/TdzRZFWmqy
Pentatonic scales are fascinatingly intuitive, can I overlay chromatic harmonies without losing that "can do no wrong" feel.
Hopefully one day I get to build a toy that interests kids on the spectrum!

[DeboraSinger @DeboraSinger1]

Thank you @NaomiAKlein for providing the full picture to #FreeAlaa

[Free Alaa @FreedomForAlaa]

Naomi Klein in the Guardian:

"Alaa is not a saint. He is, however, a hero of a stolen revolution, and a potent symbol of hope for millions still living under brutal dictatorship. His freedom is a hard-won victory for justice, at a time when those are few and far between. He deserves to enjoy it in peace."

https://t.co/XZL5kr7Al6

[Chris Doyle @Doylech]

Personally I shall not regret ever campaigning for Alaa's release for one second from an appalling detention. Anyone who has read his longer writings knows he espouses anti racist views and human rights values. He apologises here fully for tweets of an angry young man.

[DeboraSinger @DeboraSinger1]

As Country Coordinator for @AIUKCCNAT @AmnestyUK I led the local groups campaign for Alaa's freedom. I got to know him and his views by reading his prison writings You Have Not Yet Been Defeated. I am Jewish and have never questioned my support for Alaa

#FreeAlaa

[Free Alaa @FreedomForAlaa]

Naomi Klein on Bluesky:

https://t.co/w16PoasO3O

[Free Alaa @FreedomForAlaa]

Responding to historic tweets, Alaa today says:

"I am shaken that, just as I am being reunited with my family for the first time in 12 years, several historic tweets of mine have been republished and used to question and attack my integrity and values, escalating to calls for the revocation of my citizenship.

Looking at the tweets now - the ones that were not completely twisted out of their meaning - I do understand how shocking and hurtful they are, and for that I unequivocally apologise. They were mostly expressions of a young man’s anger and frustrations in a time of regional crises (the wars on Iraq, on Lebanon and Gaza), and the rise of police brutality against Egyptian youth. I particularly regret some that were written as part of online insult battles with the total disregard for how they read to other people. I should have known better.

Looking back I see the writings of a much younger person, deeply enmeshed in antagonistic online cultures, utilising flippant, shocking and sarcastic tones in the nascent, febrile world of social media. But this young man never intended to offend a wider public and was, in the real world, engaged in the non-violent pro-democracy movement and repeatedly incarcerated for calling for full equality, human rights and democracy for all. Today, this middle aged father firmly believes all our fates are entwined and we can only achieve prosperous and safe lives for our children together. All the initiatives I’ve led reflect this.

I must also stress that some tweets have been completely misunderstood, seemingly in bad faith. For example, a tweet being shared to allege homophobia on my part was actually ridiculing homophobia. I have paid a steep price for my public support for LGBTQ rights in Egypt and the world. Another tweet has been wrongly interpreted to suggest Holocaust denial - but in fact the exchange shows that I was clearly mocking Holocaust denial.

I take accusations of antisemitism very seriously. I have always believed that sectarianism and racism are the most sinister and dangerous of forces, and I did my part and paid the price for standing up for the rights of religious minorities in Egypt. I faced a military tribunal and imprisonment for defending Christians in Egypt falsely accused of violence.

This weekend was supposed to be the first time I celebrated my son’s birthday with him since 2012, when he was one year old. I have been imprisoned in Egypt for almost his entire life for my consistent promotion of equality, justice and secular democracy. That included publicly rejecting anti-Jewish speech in Egypt, often at risk to myself, defence of LGBTQ rights, defence of Egyptian Christians, and campaigning against police torture and brutality - all at great risk. And, indeed, my freedom was stripped from me for these defences of human rights. These values are core to my identity.

It has been painful to see some people who supported calls for my release now feel regret for doing so. Whatever they feel now, they did the right thing. Standing up for human rights and a citizen unjustly imprisoned is something honourable, and I will always be grateful for that solidarity. I have received huge empathy and solidarity from people across the UK, enough to win me my freedom, and I will be forever grateful for this."

[Free Alaa @FreedomForAlaa]

"I can’t believe it’s finally happened and Alaa has made it to the UK. We thought it was impossible, but here he is. Hundreds of people around the world did so much to help bring this moment about. Alaa is free and we can finally begin to heal as a family"
- Mona, Alaa's sister

[Patrick Wintour @patrickwintour]

The British Egyptian human rights activist Alaa abd El Fattah released from a Cairo jail in September but banned from travelling to UK by Cairo authorities landed in London today. His first stop on leaving the airport was a visit to a playground with the family children. Priorities.

[Keir Starmer @Keir_Starmer]

I’m delighted that Alaa Abd El-Fattah is back in the UK and has been reunited with his loved ones, who must be feeling profound relief.

I want to pay tribute to Alaa’s family, and to all those that have worked and campaigned for this moment.

Alaa's case has been a top priority for my government since we came to office. I’m grateful to President Sisi for his decision to grant the pardon.

[Free Alaa @FreedomForAlaa]

Last night Laila & Alaa were awarded the Courage Under Fire prize at the prestigious Magnitsky Awards in London.

Thank you @FreeNazanin for your heartfelt presentation.

@alaa was prevented from traveling to accept the award, so his sister @sana2 spoke for him.

Laila - who has returned to teaching at Cairo Uni - sent a video of thanks.

We are hopeful that Alaa will be allowed to travel to the UK in time for his son, Khaled’s, birthday in December.

[Sir William Browder KCMG @Billbrowder]

Surviving Egyptian prison while on hunger strike. Powerful @TimesRadio interview with Alaa Abd El-Fattah and his mother Laila Suief, winners of the 2025 #MagnitskyAwards Courage Under Fire award. Their courage is deeply moving. @JPonPolitics @FreedomForAlaa
Watch here: https://t.co/fwu81YFLhu via @YouTube

[Apsana Begum MP @ApsanaBegumMP]

A spiriting interview with @alaa✨

Alaa being reunited with his mother Layla & family gives hope to all those unjustly held in prisons in Egypt & beyond. UK campaigners will fight for them & for Alaa to be permanently reunited with his son.

An honour to support @FreedomForAlaa.

[Tantrum Thrower @LifeArtist7]

“.........though I think there is benefit in having a perspective from a place like Egypt because there is a deadlock of imagination in the global north, and a deadlock in the possibility of action in the global south.”

https://t.co/XLAu3OZdID

[DeboraSinger @DeboraSinger1]

So thrilled to hear #Alaa for the first time since his release
@FreedomForAlaa @Monasosh @sana2 @AIUKCCNAT @asoueif https://t.co/crmVu6K6Xp

[Patrick Wintour @patrickwintour]

Privilege to talk to writer Alaa Abd el-Fatah freed from Cairo jails after 12 years. Learning to heal, be with his family and how to be an activist and a dad. Gently chiding Thatcher, he suggests the campaign for his release in UK proved society exists. https://t.co/Ml1MNmdAiL

[Free Alaa @FreedomForAlaa]

Arbitrary detention victims urge Starmer to press Modi on jailed British citizen, Jagtar Singh Johal.

https://t.co/9Jn4GaQI06

[Free Alaa @FreedomForAlaa]

To celebrate Alaa's release you can now download an e-book of YOU HAVE NOT YET BEEN DEFEATED for free!

Click through to @fitzcarraldoeditions (UK), @7storiespress (USA) or straight to your e-book reader to get it now.

[Free Alaa @FreedomForAlaa]

@Andrew_Rens @7StoriesPress Apparently it needs to be gotten directly from the ebook reader - Kindles etc.

Does that work?

[Free Alaa @FreedomForAlaa]

To celebrate Alaa's release you can now download an e-book of YOU HAVE NOT YET BEEN DEFEATED for free!

Click through to @fitzcarraldoeditions (UK), @7storiespress (USA) or straight to your e-book reader to get it now.

[Banned Books Week UK @BannedWeekUK]

To celebrate the release of Alaa Abd El-Fattah, the British-Egyptian writer who was at last freed from prison in Egypt this week, you can download an e-book of his extraordinary book YOU HAVE NOT YET BEEN DEFEATED for free! Check out @FreedomForAlaa for more info.