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Keir Starmer, British Prime Minister is facing criticism after welcoming home a recently released Egyptian prisoner who allegedly posted violent and anti-Semitic comments on his social media in the past.
Successive British governments have pushed for the release of Alaa Abd el-Fattah, a dual British-Egyptian national who was behind bars in Egypt for most of the past 14 years.
He was released from prison in September following a pardon from Egypt’s president, but remained in the country under a travel ban which was only recently lifted, allowing him to return to the UK on Friday.
Starmer celebrated Abd el-Fattah’s return, saying he was “delighted” that the activist had been reunited with his family in Britain.
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Pro-democracy activist Alaa Abd el-Fattah after obtaining a presidential pardon. (PA)
Meanwhile, a senior figure in the opposition Conservative Party criticized Starmer for providing “personal and public support” for Abd el-Fattah.
Robert Jenrick, Shadow Justice Secretary and Shadow Lord Chancellor, wanted to know if Starmer was aware of previous social media posts in which Abd el-Fattah allegedly supported kill Zionists and the police. Jenrick also demanded that Starmer condemn Abd el-Fattah’s comments and withdraw his “unreserved support” for the activist.
“No one should be imprisoned arbitrarily or for peaceful dissent,” Jenrick wrote. “But the prime minister should also not place the authority of his office behind someone whose own words fall within the language of racism and bloodshed.”
Jenrick, Conservative leader Kemi Badenoch and British reformist leader Nigel Farage called for Abd el-Fattah’s British citizenship to be revoked and deported.
Prime Minister Keir Starmer celebrated the return of Alaa Abd el-Fattah, saying he was “delighted” that the activist had been reunited with his family in Britain. ((Photo by Léon Neal/Getty Images))
The British government later clarified that the prime minister was unaware of the “abhorrent” social media posts when he issued the welcoming statement.
The Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office said in a statement that pushing for Abd el-Fattah’s release was “a long-standing priority” of governments of both major parties, but it said this did not imply an endorsement of his social media posts.
“The government condemns Mr. El-Fattah’s historic tweets and considers them abhorrent,” the statement said.
Abd el-Fattah issued an “unequivocal apology” on Sunday, calling his past comments “expressions of a young man’s anger” during regional crises and police brutality in Egypt.
The British government has said it considers Alaa Abd el-Fattah’s social media posts to be “abhorrent”. (Andrew Aitchison / In pictures via Getty Images)
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Abd el-Fattah’s family in the UK had said he had spent most of the last 14 years behind bars because of his opposition to the government of Egyptian President Abdel-Fattah el-Sissi.
His mother, Laila Soueif, 69, has been on hunger strike for 10 months to pressure British authorities to do more to secure her son’s freedom.
Shortly after Abd el-Fattah arrived at London’s Heathrow Airport, criticism began to circulate over his past social media posts. Abd el-Fattah previously said the comments were taken out of context and were part of a “private conversation” that occurred during an Israeli offensive in the country. Gaza Stripaccording to the Times of London.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
