Mother of Alaa Abdel Fattah, symbol of Tahrir square: “Italy stop selling arms to Egypt”
“Thanks to Paola and Claudio Regeni, who have not stopped making themselves heard for a moment, for not allowing the Egyptian regime to go unpunished by doing what it wants with citizens and foreigners, and for not allowing Italy to stand by, demanding the names of those responsible for Giulio’s killing. I will help you, I promise, as I can. Thanks to Patrick Zaki, always present at the hearings for Alaa. Egypt cannot die in this mafia ». Laila Soueif, professor of Mathematics at Cairo University, has been fighting for the freedom of her family for 15 years, and when she talks about Giulio Regeni she is moved by anger and helplessness. Her son Alaa Abdel Fattah has just been sentenced to another 5 years, is being held in the Tora maximum security prison. Blogger and computer scientist, author of the book «You haven’t been defeated yet», published in Italy by Hopefulmonster, was arrested in 2006, then again in 2011 when he was one of the most prominent faces of the Tahrir square revolution. Of the past ten years, he has spent eight in his cell. Before him it was his father, Ahmed Seif al-Islam, a lawyer and activist, a prisoner with Sadat and Mubarak, tortured with electric shocks and broken legs and arms.
Mrs. Soueif, how is Alaa? Can you visit it?
“Yes, I went on Tuesday. It experiences deep ups and downs, has moments of challenge and anger, but this time my biggest fear, with such an unjust and heavy sentence, is that I may lose hope. This outcome was expected. Due to the country’s state of emergency, only the head of the army, who is Al Sisi, could reject the sentence. His lawyers have been denied the papers of the trial, it is not possible to appeal. Alaa couldn’t even defend himself. I don’t expect much. Of course, we continue to protest, because people have the right to know what is happening in Egypt ».
You wrote a front page letter in the New York Times in which you denounced inhumane conditions of detention. What happens in Egyptian prisons?
“For two years he was forbidden to see everything, even to see the sunlight for a long time. Prisoners like my son, who is still treated better than others thanks to his international exposure, cannot read books, they are not allowed to train, and this is totally outlawed. Alaa was stripped and violently beaten and threatened on the first night after his arrest. With Covid, we no longer knew where it ended, every day I went out of prison to protest, I even slept there. They beat us, my daughter Sanaa was arrested when we went to report. There are people like Mohammed Ibrahim who have attempted suicide: he cannot even receive visits from relatives. There are tortures, I have seen prisoners transported blindfolded as if they were not men, inhumane treatments are taking place ».
What is Alaa accused of?
«To spread fake news. Specifically, in 2019, he retweeted a tweet from a prisoner from his area who died in strange conditions. They say he would have taken his own life, which in any case would be the responsibility of the prison, but that is not the case: he was tortured to the end. There are strong indications that prove it ».
Have you been subjected to threats from the government? He’s afraid?
“What could happen to me worse than a 10-year-old son in prison. I speak out against the regime because I take my risks, but in Egypt no one can speak safely. I teach Algebra, abstract subject, and I continue to do so. If I were a professor of political subjects, I would have been expelled. It’s not worth it with me, it would create more problems and bad press for the regime to kick me out of university. ”
Zaki had the support of Italy and luckily he is free. There are thousands of other inmates with no names and faces. Do you feel forgotten by the international community?
«Zaki is so nice, he always comes to support Alaa, and I hope he can go back to Italy soon to study. No, I don’t feel forgotten or alone. I distinguish between governments and activists such as the NGOs who support us. Personally, I have no faith in Western governments, in anyone. I believe that European governments such as Italy, Germany, France and the United Kingdom put some pressure on them, but then they are more interested in business with Cairo. They continue to make deals to sell weapons, or electricity. With millionaire contracts, they continue to actively support the regime. They serve the interests of big companies, but I don’t think that’s what most of their citizens care about. I say to you, Western citizens: you weigh more the actions in foreign policy of your governments, monitor the pressures for the respect of human rights ».
How is Egypt in 2021? What do you foresee for your country?
“There is no longer even a simulacrum of democracy. None of those in government even pretend to respect the law and the rule of law. The state is in complete decomposition in all services, it is semi-bankrupt with a very flawed and corrupt machine. The situation is volatile, the regime may remain in power for a long time or there may be a sudden default. We are governed by a number of mafias, which earn on our skin. We don’t even know who the foreign lenders are. Of course, people are getting poorer and getting more violent. And also the state. The spirit of 2011 has been completely lost ».
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