Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what representations he has made (a) to his Egyptian counterpart and (b) to the President of Egypt on the safe release of Alaa Abd el-Fattah.

The UK remains committed to securing Alaa Abd El-Fattah's release so he can be reunited with his family. The Foreign Secretary raised Mr El-Fattah's case with the Egyptian Foreign Minister during his visit to Egypt on 23 January. The Prime Minister wrote to President Sisi to raise Mr El-Fattah's case on 8 January. The National Security Adviser, Jonathan Powell, raised with the Foreign Minister on 2 January. The UK will use the upcoming Universal Periodic Review on Egypt in January to raise issues relating to human rights. The Egyptian government does not recognise Mr El-Fattah as a British national and are refusing consular access. UK Government representatives are therefore unable to visit him in prison or communicate with him directly.