In a monumental turn of events, Egyptian-British human rights activist and writer Alaa Abd el-Fattah has been granted presidential pardon after enduring almost six grueling years in an Egyptian prison.

The news broke on Monday via Egypt's official gazette, following a vigorous campaign led by the National Council for Human Rights. This significant development comes in the wake of Abd el-Fattah's desperate hunger strikes, supported by his mother, which captured international attention and solidarity.

His sister, Mona Seif, expressed overwhelming emotions on social media, posting, "My heart is going to stop," reflecting the profound relief and disbelief surrounding his release.

Alaa Abd el-Fattah was arrested in September 2019 and subsequently sentenced to five years in December 2021 on charges of "spreading false news" and endangering Egypt's national interests—a verdict condemned by numerous rights organizations as 'grossly unfair'.

A prominent pro-democracy voice during the 2011 uprisings that ousted long-time President Hosni Mubarak, Abd el-Fattah has faced harsh repercussions for his activism. In 2015, he received a five-year prison sentence for violating protest laws during a tumultuous political period, following President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi’s coup against Mubarak’s elected successor, Mohamed Morsi.

El-Sisi's administration has been widely criticized for its crackdown on dissent, jailing thousands of critics amid allegations of undermining democracy in Egypt.

After three years behind bars, Abd el-Fattah was released on probation in March 2019, only to be re-arrested within six months—a cycle of repression that exemplifies the harsh realities faced by many activists in Egypt.

Now, with this unexpected pardon, the world watches closely to see if Abd el-Fattah can reclaim his voice and continue advocating for freedoms that millions of Egyptians still yearn for.