Mother on Hunger Strike for Jailed Activist Son Agrees to Temporary Glucose Drip

Laila Soueif, hospitalized after 152 days without food, vows to continue protest for her son’s release despite critical health risks.

Laila Soueif, 68, began a hunger strike in September 2024 to demand the release of her son, Alaa Abd el-Fattah, a British-Egyptian activist imprisoned in Egypt.
Hospitalized in London after severe health deterioration, Soueif agreed to a single dose of glucose at her daughters' urging, temporarily delaying further decline.
Doctors warn of imminent risk to Soueif’s life, with her organs at risk of permanent damage after losing nearly 30 kilograms during her strike.
Advocacy groups and 25 human rights organizations are pressuring the UK government to take stronger action, including at the Human Rights Council, to secure Abd el-Fattah’s release.
Despite a meeting with UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer earlier this month, Soueif’s family remains frustrated with the lack of decisive intervention to free Abd el-Fattah, who completed his sentence in September 2024.