250 days on hunger strike: Can Laila Soueif secure her son’s freedom? – podcast

Who is Alaa Abd el-Fattah and why are British diplomats trying to obtain his release? Patrick Wintour reports

Laila Soueif, 69, has been on hunger strike in London for more than 250 days in an effort to secure the release of her son, the activist Alaa Abd el-Fattah, from jail in Egypt. As diplomatic pressure mounts, she is now in a critical condition.

Alaa's sister Mona Seif describes to Michael Safi the toll that imprisonment has taken on her brother, her mother's determination to do whatever she can to secure his release, and the difficulty of coming to terms with her mother's decision to risk her life.