Egypt MP thrown out of COP27 press conference after defending Alaa Abdel Fattah detention

Egypt MP thrown out of COP27 press conference after defending Alaa Abdel Fattah detention
Egyptian MP Amr Darwish was removed from a COP27 press conference after defending the detention of British-Egyptian activist Alaa Abdel Fattah during a talk by the activist's sister.
3 min read
09 November, 2022
COP27 is being held in Egypt's Sharm El-Sheikh [Getty]

An Egyptian MP was removed from a COP27 press conference after defending British-Egyptian activist Alaa Abdel Fattah's continued detention.

Amr Darwish told the activist's sister Sanaa Seif, who was on a panel at the event, that Abdel Fattah is "not a political prisoner", according to videos of the event posted by activists online. He was escorted out by UN security.

Abdel Fattah was detained in Egypt in 2019 after a critical tweet and sentenced to five years in prison for spreading "fake news".

NGOs estimate that Egypt has detained 60,000 political prisoners since 2013, including Abdel Fattah who has been on a hunger strike for over 200 days in protest of his "unjust" detention. 

"You are summoning western governments to attack Egypt… this is a criminal prisoner who does not deserve a presidential pardon, inciting western countries against Egypt will make us stand against any person,” Darwish said to Seif.

As Seif attempted to respond to his comment, UN security escorted Darwish out of the event as he warned staff not to touch him. 

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"You are here on Egyptian land, don't touch me," he shouted.

Abdel Fattah stopped drinking water on Sunday, to coincide with the first day of COP27 conference, which is being hosted in Sharm El-Sheikh.

His family on Wednesday said they do not know anything about his safety or whereabouts, as the UN summit continues.

"[Seventy-four] hours since my brother stopped taking water. For the 3rd day in a row my mom is standing outside prison gates asking for news. We know nothing. Is he handcuffed to a bed and put on IVs? Is he still alive?" Seif tweeted.

"Could the officials attending COP27 demand proof of life?" she added.

UK Prime Minister Rishi Sunak - who is in Egypt for COP27 – pledged to "stress to President Sisi the importance that we attach to the swift resolution of Alaa's case".

However, he was later seen avoiding a reporter in Egypt who asked him about Abdel Fattah, causing concern among those fighting for the prisoner's release.

Abdel Fattah was sentenced in December 2021 to five years in prison on charges of spreading false news.