Like many Egyptians, he hopes the climate conference, which opens in the Red Sea resort of Sharm el-Sheikh on Sunday, will provide a rare opportunity to shine an international spotlight on the country’s terrible human rights record. “The COP is an opportunity when the eyes will be on Egypt – an opportunity to talk and allow some breathing time,” said Seif, surrounded by portraits of her imprisoned brother, Alaa Abdel Fattah. “It could save lives if the spotlight on human rights conditions continues to escalate and if governments make it a point to engage with the Egyptian authorities.” Abdel Fattah is one of the highest-profile political prisoners among the thousands held by President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi’s regime since the former army chief took power in a coup in 2013. And the attention his case has garnered ahead of COP27 highlights how human rights concerns threaten to overshadow the summit. Sanaa’s protest and the jailing of Abdel Fattah have already caught the attention of climate activists — Greta Thunberg was among those who visited her sit-in tent in solidarity. Amnesty International used a rare press conference in Cairo on Sunday to call for the immediate release of Abdel Fattah, who has been on a partial hunger strike for more than 200 days. “We are running out of time, so if the authorities do not want to end up with a death that they should – and could – prevent, they must act now,” said Anies Kalamar, Amnesty’s secretary general. “Twenty-four, 48 hours, 72 hours at most — that’s all they have to save a life. If they don’t, death will happen [hang over] COP27. It will be in every conversation.” Callamard added that despite releasing some 776 political prisoners this year, Cairo has arrested 1,500 more people since April. “We will not be fooled,” he said. “The government cannot escape the situation. It must take concrete, visible, authentic actions.” UK Prime Minister Rishi Sunak wrote to Sanaa Seif on Saturday saying the British government is “absolutely committed” to resolving the Abdel Fattah case and that it “remains a priority”. The 40-year-old, who was a symbol of the 2011 revolution that toppled veteran president Hosni Mubarak, was granted British citizenship last year. Dozens of British MPs have also made his case in recent weeks, while 15 Nobel Prize winners in literature have pressed for leaders to use the summit to address Egypt’s political prisoner issue. Some activists say the scrutiny that has accompanied COP27 has already caused the regime to at least signal that it is sensitive to outside criticism ahead of the summit. Hossam Bahgat, head of the Egyptian Initiative for Personal Rights, an independent advocacy group based in Cairo, said the government had released about 800 political prisoners this year and also pledged to establish political dialogue with civil society and opposition parties. The moves mark a tentative turnaround for a government widely described as the country’s most authoritarian in decades. Sanaa al-Seif, left, is joined by climate activists Greta Thunberg and Andreas Magnusson, and Mona Seif, sister of jailed blogger Abd El-Fattah © Hollie Adams/Getty Images Bahgat said the number of those released was higher than in previous years, but added that it “remains a small number compared to the total population of political prisoners.” “What is more worrying is that new arrests on political charges have not stopped at the same rate, but it is still a positive message,” he said. The problem, he added, was that the positive moves were just “very nascent steps that don’t amount to tangible or lasting change.” For Abdel Fattah’s family, the fear is that time is running out as he has vowed to stop drinking water on Sunday. “He already looked very weak when I last saw him in August, so I don’t know how his body can take it anymore,” Sanaa said. Her brother has spent eight of the last 10 years behind bars. The activist is serving a five-year prison sentence after being convicted in December of “spreading false news that undermines national security” for posting on social media. Sanaa, who plans to attend COP27, was only released from prison in December after serving 18 months on charges of spreading fake news, inciting terrorist crimes and abusing social media. He worried that Sisi would use COP27 to show his domestic audience that he is strong and enjoys the support of Western powers. urged governments to take a stronger line on rights violations. “Whether Western politicians agree or not. . . this is how it is presented to us Egyptians and how it is used,” he said. “If Sisi feels his PR might be a bit damaged, he would release more.” Despite his government’s record on human rights, Sisi enjoys healthy relations with Western capitals that have traditionally viewed Egypt as an important Arab partner and vital to regional stability. Former US President Donald Trump once described Sisi as his “favorite dictator”. The Biden administration has been more outspoken on human rights, but gave Egypt $1.1 billion in military aid last year, withholding $225 million over rights concerns. “We have made very clear to the Egyptian government our concerns about human rights issues in Egypt,” a State Department official said. “Especially, politically motivated arrests are a big challenge in Egypt.” Bahgat said he worries that once COP27 is over, the regime will revert to its old ways, saying the small steps taken “could very easily be reversed . . . when the eye of the world is no longer on Egypt.” Additional reporting by Felicia Schwartz in Washington
