Who is Alaa Abd el-Fattah, iconic Arab Spring activist pardoned in Egypt?
Abd el-Fattah is one of numerous activists to be imprisoned in Egypt and his case has drawn condemnation from the UN and the British government.
Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi pardoned Alaa Abd el-Fattah, the country’s most prominent political prisoner and an activist who gained prominence during the Arab Spring, state media reported Monday, bringing a long legal battle between him and the government to a close.
Sisi pardoned Abd el-Fattah along with five other individuals following an appeal from the National Council for Human Rights, which had requested clemency for him and six others on Sept. 8, the state-owned Al-Ahram newspaper reported.
The National Council for Human Rights is technically an independent body but has faced criticism from rights groups including the Egyptian Front for Human Rights for perceived deference to the government.
Abd el-Fattah's sister, Sanaa Seif, celebrated his return, saying in a post on X Monday that she would head to the prison to ask where and when her brother would be released.
