Egyptian dissident Alaa Abd el-Fattah arrives in London after travel ban lifted

British-Egyptian dissident Alaa Abd el-Fattah has arrived in London after Egyptian authorities lifted a travel ban that had remained in place despite his release from prison in September.

Abd el-Fattah spent nearly a decade behind bars, largely for speaking out against the Egyptian government’s treatment of dissidents. Although he had already completed a five-year sentence, authorities kept him imprisoned for an additional two years, refusing to count his pre-trial detention as time served.

A first attempt to leave Cairo for London last November was blocked by security forces. Since then, Abd el-Fattah had been negotiating permission to travel freely, amid fears that leaving Egypt could mean permanent exile.

His arrival in the UK marks a major moment for one of the most prominent voices to emerge from the Arab Spring. From a family of well-known human rights activists, Abd el-Fattah rose to prominence in 2011, gaining international recognition for his clear, non-sectarian writing and advocacy.

In 2019, he was sentenced to five years in prison on charges of spreading false news after a trial widely criticised by rights groups. Last year, his family were stunned when authorities indicated he would not be released until 2027.