Activists launch 'wear-white' sit-in at COP27 in solidarity with Egypt’s prisoners of conscience

Supporters of the jailed British-Egyptian human rights activist Alaa Abd el-Fattah take part in a candlelight vigil outside Downing Street as he begins a complete hunger strike while world leaders arrive for COP27 climate summit in Sharm el-Sheikh in London, United Kingdom on November 06, 2022. [Wiktor Szymanowicz – Anadolu Agency]

Dozens of activists yesterday started a wear-white sit-in at the UN climate change summit, COP27, in solidarity with Egyptian prisoner, Alaa Abdelfattah, and all prisoners of conscience in Egypt.

The founder of the Egyptian Initiative for Personal Rights, Hossam Bahgat, called on the summit’s participants “to wear white clothes as a sign of solidarity with the campaign to demand the release of Abdelfattah.”

In solidarity with the campaign, civil society blocs called on the conference’s participants “to pressure the Egyptian government to save Alaa’s life and release political prisoners.”

British-Egyptian Abdelfattah has been on hunger strike for more than 200 days. He is reported to be serving a five-year prison sentence for “broadcasting false news,” and has spent much of the past decade in prison. On Sunday he announced that he would be increasing his protest and cease drinking water.

Egypt: Cop27 becomes ‘Free Alaa Summit’ as pressure builds to release British hunger striker

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