Controversy Over Abdel Fattah's Arrival in the UK After Release from Egyptian Jail
Abdel Fattah, an Egyptian democracy activist and dual British-Egyptian citizen, apologised for historic tweets that resurfaced as he arrived in the UK following his release from an Egyptian jail. The tweets allegedly included calls to kill Zionists and police. Fattah stated that some posts were misunderstood and that he takes the allegations seriously.
Fattah, aged 44, was convicted in Egypt in 2021 of spreading fake news. He gained British citizenship in December 2021 through his London-born mother and has a 14-year-old son living in Brighton. He was released in September after receiving a presidential pardon.
The arrival of Fattah prompted Conservative and Reform UK leaders to urge Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood to consider revoking his citizenship to enable deportation. Some Labour MPs also called for the removal of his citizenship. The Board of Deputies of British Jews expressed profound concern over the case and criticized the authorities' due diligence. Additionally, Nigel Farage wrote to the Home Secretary urging swift removal.
Keir Starmer faced criticism for welcoming Fattah’s arrival, though it was understood that he was unaware of the historical messages. The Foreign Office condemned the posts as abhorrent but emphasised a long-standing priority to secure Abdel Fattah’s release and reunite him with his family. The Foreign Office also noted protections against statelessness and that citizenship can only be stripped if the person could apply for citizenship elsewhere.
