Alaa Abd el-Fattah, the British-Egyptian writer whose imprisonment became a global symbol of Egypt’s human rights crisis, has once again been barred from leaving the country. His family says airport officers stopped him at Cairo International Airport as he attempted to board a flight to London for a human rights awards ceremony, despite paperwork showing no legal grounds preventing his travel.

Abd el-Fattah, released in September after years behind bars, was expected to attend an event in the UK honouring his activism. His relatives said he was held at the airport for hours before being turned back without explanation, calling the move an extension of the restrictions that have shadowed his life since his release.

His case remains one of the most sensitive in Egypt’s political landscape. Even after gaining his freedom, Abd el-Fattah’s passport was delayed, his mobility restricted, and his public activity closely watched. Rights groups say these constraints amount to a continuation of punishment, designed to keep prominent dissidents out of international spaces where they might challenge Cairo’s narrative.

The timing of the travel block is drawing wider attention, coming as Egypt faces scrutiny over its treatment of activists, journalists, and political opponents. For London, where Abd el-Fattah holds citizenship, the incident is likely to renew pressure on the British government to push harder for guarantees of his safety and autonomy.

The broader issue is Egypt’s reluctance to fully release its political critics from state control. Activists argue that conditional freedoms, travel bans, and administrative obstacles have become tools to limit their influence without incurring the international backlash that comes with fresh imprisonment.

A family member said Abd el-Fattah left the airport “humiliated but safe,” adding that they will continue to seek clarification from the authorities and the British Embassy.

The episode underscores how Egypt’s internal politics still reach far beyond its borders, shaping global conversations on human rights and diplomatic leverage.