CAIRO — President Abdel-Fattah el-Sissi has ordered authorities to review an appeal that could lead to a presidential pardon for prominent activist Alaa Abd el-Fattah, state media reported Tuesday.
The president's office said the directive followed a humanitarian appeal from the National Council for Human Rights urging the release of Abd el-Fattah and six other convicted individuals on humanitarian and health grounds. The council said its petition was made after receiving requests from the families of those jailed and cited "critical family circumstances" as a reason to consider clemency.
Abd el-Fattah, a dual British-Egyptian national who rose to prominence during Egypt's 2011 uprising, has been held since September 2019. He was sentenced in 2021 to five years in prison on charges of spreading false news. His detention has drawn repeated calls for his release from local and international rights groups and diplomats.
Tarek el-Awady, a human rights lawyer and member of the presidential pardon committee, told The Associated Press that Abd el-Fattah could be released within days and may be able to walk out of prison immediately if the pardon is approved. El-Awady said the president's order was the first time authorities were asked to review such an appeal after multiple local and international calls for the activist's release. He also noted the move came about a month after a court removed Abd el-Fattah's name from a terrorism list.
Abd el-Fattah's sister, Sanaa Soueif, posted on X that the news was "really promising" and expressed hope authorities would act with urgency so he could be reunited with his family. The activist's mother, Laila Soueif, began a hunger strike on Sept. 29 that left her seriously ill and receiving treatment in London. She later ended her hunger strike in July after appeals from family and supporters, according to accounts from the family and activists.
Human rights advocates have criticized Egyptian authorities for not fully crediting time Abd el-Fattah spent in pretrial detention; authorities previously refused to count more than two years of that detention and ordered him held until January 2027. His case has been cited by rights groups as emblematic of what they describe as a broader rollback of civil liberties and political space in Egypt in the years since the 2011 upheaval.
The National Council for Human Rights' appeal framed a pardon as a humanitarian gesture that would restore stability for families affected by the convictions and contribute to their psychological and social balance. The council asked the president to consider the requests it received from relatives and said such a decision would represent a "deeply significant moral incentive" for the families involved.
Egyptian authorities have periodically granted pardons in high-profile cases, often framing clemency as an act of national reconciliation or compassion. Any decision to grant a pardon requires review by relevant authorities and final approval by the president. The presidential order to review the council's appeal does not constitute an immediate pardon and officials have not announced a timeline for a formal decision beyond statements that review is underway.
Abd el-Fattah has been a central figure in Egypt's activist community for more than a decade. Supporters and human rights groups say his repeated imprisonments and prosecutions for speech-related charges highlight restrictions on dissent. Authorities maintain that their actions are in keeping with national security and legal standards.
If a pardon is approved, it would mark a significant development in a case that has attracted persistent international attention and become a focal point for critics of Egypt's human rights record. Officials on Tuesday emphasized that the review process had been initiated in response to the council's appeal and that relevant bodies would assess the petition in line with legal procedures.