Alaa Abdel Fattah and Leila Fattah on Egyptian Prison Ordeals and Hunger Strikes

The Ordeal of Imprisonment and Hunger Strike

• ⛓️ Alaa Abdel Fattah describes his experience of being imprisoned by the Egyptian government for 12 years, initially for protesting and later for spreading false news.
• 💔 His mother, Leila Fattah, undertook an astonishing 8-month hunger strike to campaign for his release, enduring hospitalization and near-collapse.
• 🏥 Leila Fattah recounts the physical effects of the hunger strike, including a refeeding period in hospital and a gradual return to normal eating and activity.

Experiencing Isolation and Numbness

• 😟 Alaa Abdel Fattah describes feeling isolated and numb when receiving news about his mother's critical condition, unable to fully process the worry.
• ✉️ Information about his mother's health reached him through weekly letters and monthly visits, often delayed and filtered by prison routines, leading to a sense of alienation.
• 🧠 He struggled to comprehend his mother's ordeal, noting that even his own hunger strike experience was different due to his younger age and confinement.

Reflections on Sacrifice and Achievement

• 💪 Leila Fattah expresses pride not in the actions that led to imprisonment, but in her son's resilience and his emergence from prison without compromising his character.
• ❓ Alaa Abdel Fattah questions the notion of pride in a situation he views as arbitrary and absurd, stating his arrest and detention were actions done to him.
• ✊ He reflects that his long imprisonment is part of the defeat of a pro-democracy movement, emphasizing the importance of navigating defeat without resorting to extremism or abandoning core values.

The Impact of Activism and Solidarity

• 🌍 Leila Fattah views her actions primarily as what a mother does, but considers opening up the subject of Egyptian prisons and touching other individuals facing long incarcerations as an unexpected achievement.
• ❤️ The immense global support and sympathy received, including from strangers in Egypt who risked showing support, made the struggle feel worthwhile.
• 🤝 The shared ordeal and the way they conducted themselves is seen as a testament to their values and connections to community and society.

Release and Future Hopes

• 🕊️ Alaa Abdel Fattah was eventually freed in September, following his mother's campaign and statements from the then foreign secretary.
• 🌟 Both Alaa and Leila Abdel Fattah were recognized with the Courage Under Fire award at the Magnitsky Human Rights Awards.
• 🗣️ Alaa Abdel Fattah is now free and speaking out, while Leila Fattah is recovering and teaching, indicating a step towards normalcy after their ordeal.