Who is Alaa Abd El-Fattah and why is Keir Starmer under fire | World News
British-Egyptian activist Alaa Abd El-Fattah has arrived in the UK after Egyptian authorities lifted a long-standing travel ban, allowing him to leave the country following years of imprisonment and restrictions on his movement. Abd El-Fattah has spent extended periods in detention since 2013, alongside earlier arrests linked to his political activism. He was pardoned by President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi in September 2025 and reunited with his family in Britain on 26 December.Prime Minister Keir Starmer publicly welcomed Abd El-Fattah’s return, saying he was “delighted” that he had been reunited with his family. His comments drew sharp political backlash after historic social media posts attributed to Abd El-Fattah resurfaced, which critics say contain violent and antisemitic language.
Who is Alaa Abd El-Fattah
Alaa Abd El-Fattah is a software developer, writer and pro-democracy activist who became a prominent figure during Egypt’s 2011 revolution and the wider Arab Spring. He was involved in early Arabic-language blogging initiatives and used digital platforms to discuss political reform and civil liberties.His activism led to repeated confrontations with Egyptian authorities. Over more than a decade, Abd El-Fattah was arrested multiple times on charges including organising unauthorised protests and spreading false information. Human rights organisations and UN experts have described these prosecutions as politically motivated, while Egyptian authorities have maintained that he violated domestic laws.In 2021, Abd El-Fattah was sentenced to five years in prison for spreading false news. His detention drew international attention, with rights groups, foreign governments and campaigners calling for his release.The campaign intensified after his mother, Laila Soueif, undertook a prolonged hunger strike. In September 2025, Abd El-Fattah received a presidential pardon. Egypt later lifted his travel ban, allowing him to travel to the UK in December, where he holds British citizenship through his mother.
Why Keir Starmer is being attacked
Political criticism emerged after Starmer publicly commented on Abd El-Fattah’s return. Shortly afterwards, historic social media posts attributed to Abd El-Fattah from around 2010 to 2012 circulated online. Critics say the posts contain violent and antisemitic language, including references to “Zionists”, Jews, police and British people.Some of the posts had previously been cited in earlier controversies, including the withdrawal of Abd El-Fattah’s nomination for a European human rights prize in 2014.Opposition politicians and commentators criticised the Prime Minister’s remarks, arguing that the historic posts should have been addressed explicitly. Figures including Nigel Farage and Conservative leader Kemi Badenoch have called for Abd El-Fattah’s British citizenship to be reviewed or revoked.Jewish organisations, including the Board of Deputies of British Jews, said they had raised concerns with the government and requested clarification on whether Abd El-Fattah still holds the views expressed in the posts. They described the issue as relevant to wider discussions on antisemitism and public standards.
Citizenship and legal questions
Abd El-Fattah was granted British citizenship in 2021 through a legal provision allowing mothers to pass citizenship to their children. Under a remedial scheme established after court rulings and in line with the European Convention on Human Rights, this historic-injustice route to citizenship was not subject to the usual “good character” test applied in other cases.Critics say this process allowed citizenship to be granted without sufficient scrutiny. Supporters argue the change addressed a discriminatory barrier. Downing Street has said Starmer and senior ministers were not aware of the historic posts at the time of their comments and has described the content of the posts as unacceptable.
