»Alaa ist im Gefängnis, weil er versucht, die Welt zu einem besseren Ort zu machen«

Hello and thank you very much to the Global Campaign to Demand Climate Justice for their support and for hosting me. My family and I have been so moved to see the huge support that Alaa has had from climate organisations from across the world. I hope one day that we can repay you.

At this conference the most vulnerable are supposed to negotiate with the most powerful. So I want to say that whatever chance my brother has at surviving will come from the people who are vulnerable. It will come from those paying the price for others’ luxury. From those locked into a system they did not choose.

Although this has been the most difficult time my family has ever faced, whatever happens: Alaa has won the cause. The symbolic battle has been won by your show of support. I just hope his body and he is not sacrificed for it.

He’s not in prison because of the Facebook post they charged him with. He’s in prison because he is someone who makes people believe the world can be a better place. He’s someone trying to make the world a better place.

And if he could see everything that so many people have done for him, he would be comforted that he is right. I know he would be very happy.

We have not yet been defeated. But, right now, all we know is that Alaa stopped drinking water 50 hours ago. We don’t know where he is. We don’t know if he’s alive. My mother waited outside the prison gates for 10 hours yesterday for her weekly letter. They didn’t give her one. She’s back at those gates now. 

I asked the British authorities to get some proof that Alaa is alive and conscious. I did not get any response.

Right here in this conference centre the Egypt’s Foreign Minister - who is also the COP President - has been giving interviews saying there’s nothing to worry about and that the prisons have medical facilities. President Sisi made a commitment to President Macron that Alaa’s health will be preserved. These statements really worry me. Are they force-feeding my brother right now? Is he handcuffed in a bed, put on IVs against his will? This is what it sounds like to me.

For the entire time Alaa has been on a hunger strike the prison refused to allow him an independent medical examination. They forged a fake medical report without examining Alaa. They said he “has access” to three meals a day.

I don't trust them, my brother doesn't trust them and he repeatedly refused their medical examination, demanding that an observer from his lawyers or the British consulate be present. This demand was never accepted.

This is a man who has denied himself food for seven months because he wants to meet with his embassy. It’s a very simple ask. Just let the embassy access…

So to tell me that he could now be handcuffed to a bed being force-fed - and that this is some kind of solution - is grotesque.

If that's the case then he has been plunged into an even worse nightmare than he was already in.

We know that they are happy for him to die, the only thing they care about is that it doesn’t happen while the world is watching.

But the world is watching and it’s not only watching the Egyptian authorities but also other governments, including the UK government and other Western governments complicity ijn our oppression, who benefit from our oppression. Everyone always talks about how strong the UK and Egypt’s relationship it. Is torturing a dual citizen part of that relationship?

This has to end. It can end. There are three ways for it to end: Let the british embassy visit him. Or put him on a plane out of Egypt today. Or he will die, and he will be relieved of this nightmare. 

But Alaa shouldn’t be forced anything against his will. 

I would like to also remind that my family’s ordeal is an extreme example, but not the only example. There are tens of thousands or political prisoners in Egypt, there are more around the world. Climate justice activities are targeted around the world. We face the same oppression. I’m really thankful to your solidarity.

Das Statement und weitere Presseinformationen zur COP27 der #FreeAlaa-Kampagne finden Sie hier.