More than a dozen Nobel laureates in literature have called on world leaders to extend the host of the COP27 foreign climate conference, Egypt, to the “thousands” of political prisoners languishing in the country’s jails, adding jailed Egyptian-British activist Alaa Abd el-Fattah.
In the letter, sent to the United Nations, the Council of Europe and the heads of state of France, Britain, the United States and France, among others, the 15 Nobel laureates suggested leaders “seize any and all opportunities” at the convention “to make the voices of the unjustly imprisoned heard in the room. “
COP27, hosted by the UN, will be held in the Egyptian city of Sharm el-Sheikh from November 6 to 18, aiming to unite governments to boost efforts to stop the global climate crisis.
“We urge you to seize the opportunity now in your hands to help the most vulnerable, not only in the face of emerging seas, but also those who are imprisoned and forgotten, especially in the very country you are privileged to host. you,” the winners said, adding Turkey’s Orhan Pamuk, American poet Louise Gluck, Tanzanian novelist Abdulrazak Gurnah and Britain’s Kazuo Ishiguro.
“We ask you to use your plenary front to pronounce the names of the prisoners, ask for their freedom and invite Egypt to turn the page and be a true husband in another long term: a long term that respects life and human dignity,” he added. . they added.
Egypt cracked down on dissent ahead of COP27, with an Indian environmental activist released on Monday after being arrested the day before.
Public protests are outright banned in Egypt, following the crackdown on political dissent that began with the ouster of the country’s first democratically elected leader, Mohamed Morsi, in 2013 through then-army leader Abdel Fattah el-Sisi.
El-Sisi, who was elected president in 2014, says security measures were needed to stabilize Egypt. The crackdown has swept away liberal activists and members of the Muslim Brotherhood.
Morsi died in 2019 while in government custody.
Ahead of the summit, Egyptian security forces arrested about 70 more people in connection with calls to protest to coincide with the demonstration, according to a rights group.
As of Monday, at least 67 other people had been arrested in Cairo and other cities in recent days and gave the impression to the State Security Prosecutor’s Office in connection with calls for protests on November 11, according to the Egyptian Commission for Rights and Freedoms. ECRF), a non-governmental organization.
“We ask you, in your comments, to bring the voices of the unjustly imprisoned to the courtroom. Alaa Abd el-Fattah’s harsh voice for democracy is on the verge of extinction,” said the winners, who are the winners of arguably the most prestigious literary prize.
Abd el-Fattah has begun a full-blown hunger strike ahead of the climate summit, with supporters that he will be dead or loose when world leaders meet next week.
The activist said in a letter to his circle of family members that he would start a zero-calorie hunger strike on Tuesday and avoid drinking water from Nov. 6, when global climate talks are expected to begin. The old blogger has been on partial hunger strike, eating only a hundred calories a day, raising concerns about his health.
Abd el-Fattah, an outspoken dissident, rose to prominence with the 2011 pro-democracy uprisings that swept the Middle East and toppled Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak.
He was first convicted in 2014 after being convicted of participating in an unauthorized protest and allegedly assaulting a police officer. He was released in 2019 after serving a five-year sentence, but was arrested again later that year in a crackdown that followed rare anti-government protests.
In December 2021, he was sentenced to another five years for spreading fake news. He also faces charges of misuse of social media and the club in a “terrorist” organization, a reference to the outlawed Muslim Brotherhood, which the government declared a “terrorist organization. “” in 2013.