美国国家公共电台 NPR--The family of a detained Egyptian activist has lost contact with him

The family of a detained Egyptian activist¹ has lost contact with him

Transcript²

NPR's Leila Fadel speaks with Sanaa Seif, sister of imprisoned³ Egyptian political activist Alaa Abd El Fattah, about her brother who has not been heard from in over a week.

LEILA FADEL, HOST:

Eleven years ago, popular uprisings swept the Middle East, unseating some of the region's previously⁴ unshakable autocrats⁵. In Egypt, former President Hosni Mubarak was forced out by massive popular protests across the country.

(SOUNDBITE OF PROTEST)

UNIDENTIFIED PROTESTERS: (Chanting in non-English language).

FADEL: Alaa Abd El Fattah was one of the faces of young revolutionaries daring to demand the end of Mubarak's rule and the birth of something new. But today, much of that hope for change has been replaced with a backslide to autocracy⁶, and Alaa Abd El Fattah has languished⁷ in prison in Egypt for much of the last decade, along with scores of other political prisoners. His family says he is being punished for demonstrating in 2011. In April, Abd El Fattah went on hunger strike as a book he wrote from prison was released in the U.S. At the time, his sister, Sanaa Seif, said the strike and his book were about bringing attention to her brother's case in the U.S. and U.K. and bringing pressure for his release.

SANAA SEIF: This is a critical time for him, where we think there might be hope for his release. And we believe attention right now is really needed.

FADEL: Now, more than 100 days into his hunger strike, the family has lost contact with him. So we're checking back in with his sister, and Sanaa Seif joins me now from London via Skype. Hi, Sanaa.

SEIF: Hi. Thank you for having me again.

FADEL: Thank you for being back on the program. You know, when we last spoke⁸, here's what you told me about Alaa's time in prison.

(SOUNDBITE OF ARCHIVED NPR BROADCAST)

SEIF: The regime is so stubborn with Alaa. They've built up so much over the years of trying to create an example of him for the rest of us - like, for whoever believed or participated back in 2011, that I don't think anything will make his situation worse.

FADEL: So you said that at the time, that you were going public because it couldn't get worse. What is your brother's situation right now?

SEIF: So after we talked and we got some attention, Alaa was transferred from, like, the horrible facility he was in to a relatively⁹ better one. And he was allowed books, but he was still denied many of the basic rights that are granted by, like, Egyptian laws in prison. At its peak, we were finally getting solidarity¹⁰ from several governments, and we were finally getting the attention of the U.K. government.

FADEL: And your brother is a British citizen, right?

SEIF: Exactly. So it's on the British government to be kind of leading the negotiation¹¹ for his release. But we saw solidarity from other countries. And Sameh Shoukry, the Egyptian foreign minister, came to London and met with Liz Truss, the U.K. foreign secretary. And she had vowed¹² before Parliament before that meeting that she will press for Alaa's release. And so it seemed like we were - finally, this is it, it's happening. And two days after the meeting, the government felt Boris Johnson had to resign. Because there isn't now a stable government in the U.K., that the Egyptians are making advantage of that. Of course, we still have a foreign secretary, but she's now running for prime minister, and so a lot of the foreign affairs issues are not taking the attention.

FADEL: And in the meantime, your family has lost contact with your brother?

SEIF: Yes, we had a visit. We were - my mom was supposed to visit Alaa, and they just told her that he doesn't want to come out for the visit, and he's never refused visits. Last we heard of Alaa would be, like, 16. He had written a letter to us, and it seemed normal. Like, he seemed tired, but it seemed that he was telling me that he would write properly in the next week. And there is nothing to prepare us in the letter that he will refuse visits. And so we don't know why they're hiding him or what...

FADEL: So you don't believe that he's refusing the visits?

SEIF: Or maybe, if he's refusing, then something happened.

FADEL: What are you worried about?

SEIF: I know that refusing a visit is a kind of protest, but I don't imagine Alaa doing that without explaining to us. And it's very worrying because also, at the same time, another high-profile political prisoner, Ahmed Douma, his visit was also cancelled. But then his family discovered that he was beaten up. An officer assaulted Ahmed Douma. I'm worried. I'm trying not to think that Alaa was assaulted because I know he's already weak. He's on hunger strike. He's been living on 5% of the normal calorie intake¹³ in the form of liquids. If he's refusing - although I don't - I really don't believe he would be refusing.

FADEL: What happened when your mother last tried to see him?

SEIF: They told her that it's looking like it's going to be resolved. You might see him. Just stay, even if it's after waking hours. So she stayed until 7 p.m., but then nothing happened, and they told her to leave.

FADEL: You mentioned some progress pre-Boris Johnson stepping down from office. Do you feel that there is a path forward now with all this uncertainty¹⁴, as you mentioned?

SEIF: We weren't really relying on the prime minister. We were relying on the foreign secretary. And I think what's happening now is that the attention is being diverted because she's running for PM. There was a lot of pressure on President Biden to raise Alaa's case in the bilateral¹⁵ meeting in the last trip, and we don't know if it was really raised or not. But there is a tension.

FADEL: You mentioned President Biden - Egypt is a strategic ally of the U.S., a recipient¹⁶ of lots of U.S. military aid. And Biden did withhold¹⁷ $130 million earlier in the year over human rights concerns. Is that enough?

SEIF: It's very puzzling with this administration. This is a very bold move, and it's kind of unprecedented¹⁸ and I really appreciate it. But it was diluted¹⁹ immediately with much bigger piece of the military aid. And even, like, the follow-up - the $130 million were conditioned on some human rights conditions, and these conditions were supposedly private but the Egyptian side weren't respecting the secrecy²⁰. And the way the administration followed up the negotiations²¹ about the conditions weren't robust²², and they kind of jeopardized²³ the first bold move by withholding²⁴ aid. So I don't understand, really. It looks like you're doing something that's really good for human rights, but then it gets diluted or you don't follow it up properly.

FADEL: And how are you doing? I mean, how long can you continue like this?

SEIF: I'm really worried, of course. And I'm not hopeful for the country, unfortunately. It's very sad what's happening in Egypt. But personally, I'm hopeful to be able to reunite with my family where we can reunite peacefully and safely somewhere. And so that is what keeps me going. I'm worried, but I know I'm doing my best. I know Alaa is doing his best. I know he's fighting this to live. He doesn't want to die. And so I know he would try to stay strong as much as possible.

FADEL: Sanaa Seif is an Egyptian activist speaking to us about her brother, Alaa Abd El Fattah, imprisoned in Egypt. Thank you so much for your time.

SEIF: Thank you, Leila.

(SOUNDBITE OF MUSIC)

1 activist   

n.活动分子，积极分子

参考例句：

• He's been a trade union activist for many years.多年来他一直是工会的积极分子。
• He is a social activist in our factory.他是我厂的社会活动积极分子。

2 transcript   

n.抄本，誊本，副本，肄业证书

参考例句：

• A transcript of the tapes was presented as evidence in court.一份录音带的文字本作为证据被呈交法庭。
• They wouldn't let me have a transcript of the interview.他们拒绝给我一份采访的文字整理稿。

3 imprisoned   

下狱，监禁( imprison的过去式和过去分词 )

参考例句：

• He was imprisoned for two concurrent terms of 30 months and 18 months. 他被判处30个月和18个月的监禁，合并执行。
• They were imprisoned for possession of drugs. 他们因拥有毒品而被监禁。

4 previously   

adv.以前，先前（地）

参考例句：

• The bicycle tyre blew out at a previously damaged point.自行车胎在以前损坏过的地方又爆开了。
• Let me digress for a moment and explain what had happened previously.让我岔开一会儿，解释原先发生了什么。

5 autocrats   

n.独裁统治者( autocrat的名词复数 )；独断专行的人

参考例句：

• Still, the widespread pessimism doesn't explain the relatively high scores enjoyed by the autocrats. 不过，普遍的悲观情绪并没有解释为何独裁者得到相对较高的分数。 来自互联网

6 autocracy   

n.独裁政治，独裁政府

参考例句：

• The revolution caused the overthrow of the autocracy.这场革命导致了独裁政体的结束。
• Many poor countries are abandoning autocracy.很多贫穷国家都在放弃独裁统治。

7 languished   

长期受苦( languish的过去式和过去分词 )； 受折磨； 变得（越来越）衰弱； 因渴望而变得憔悴或闷闷不乐

参考例句：

• Our project languished during the holidays. 我们的计划在假期间推动得松懈了。
• He languished after his dog died. 他狗死之后，人憔悴了。

8 spoke   

n.（车轮的）辐条；轮辐；破坏某人的计划；阻挠某人的行动 v.讲，谈（speak的过去式）；说；演说；从某种观点来说

参考例句：

• They sourced the spoke nuts from our company.他们的轮辐螺帽是从我们公司获得的。
• The spokes of a wheel are the bars that connect the outer ring to the centre.辐条是轮子上连接外圈与中心的条棒。

9 relatively   

adv.比较...地，相对地

参考例句：

• The rabbit is a relatively recent introduction in Australia.兔子是相对较新引入澳大利亚的物种。
• The operation was relatively painless.手术相对来说不痛。

10 solidarity   

n.团结；休戚相关

参考例句：

• They must preserve their solidarity.他们必须维护他们的团结。
• The solidarity among China's various nationalities is as firm as a rock.中国各族人民之间的团结坚如磐石。

11 negotiation   

n.谈判，协商

参考例句：

• They closed the deal in sugar after a week of negotiation.经过一星期的谈判，他们的食糖生意成交了。
• The negotiation dragged on until July.谈判一直拖到7月份。

12 vowed   

起誓，发誓（vow的过去式与过去分词形式）

参考例句：

• He vowed quite solemnly that he would carry out his promise. 他非常庄严地发誓要实现他的诺言。
• I vowed to do more of the cooking myself. 我发誓自己要多动手做饭。

13 intake   

n.吸入，纳入；进气口，入口

参考例句：

• Reduce your salt intake.减少盐的摄入量。
• There was a horrified intake of breath from every child.所有的孩子都害怕地倒抽了一口凉气。

14 uncertainty   

n.易变，靠不住，不确知，不确定的事物

参考例句：

• Her comments will add to the uncertainty of the situation.她的批评将会使局势更加不稳定。
• After six weeks of uncertainty,the strain was beginning to take its toll.6个星期的忐忑不安后，压力开始产生影响了。

15 bilateral   

adj.双方的，两边的，两侧的

参考例句：

• They have been negotiating a bilateral trade deal.他们一直在商谈一项双边贸易协定。
• There was a wide gap between the views of the two statesmen on the bilateral cooperation.对双方合作的问题，两位政治家各自所持的看法差距甚大。

16 recipient   

a.接受的,感受性强的 n.接受者,感受者,容器

参考例句：

• Please check that you have a valid email certificate for each recipient. 请检查是否对每个接收者都有有效的电子邮件证书。
• Colombia is the biggest U . S aid recipient in Latin America. 哥伦比亚是美国在拉丁美洲最大的援助对象。

17 withhold   

v.拒绝，不给；使停止，阻挡

参考例句：

• It was unscrupulous of their lawyer to withhold evidence.他们的律师隐瞒证据是不道德的。
• I couldn't withhold giving some loose to my indignation.我忍不住要发泄一点我的愤怒。

18 unprecedented   

adj.无前例的，新奇的

参考例句：

• The air crash caused an unprecedented number of deaths.这次空难的死亡人数是空前的。
• A flood of this sort is really unprecedented.这样大的洪水真是十年九不遇。

19 diluted   

无力的，冲淡的

参考例句：

• The paint can be diluted with water to make a lighter shade. 这颜料可用水稀释以使色度淡一些。
• This pesticide is diluted with water and applied directly to the fields. 这种杀虫剂用水稀释后直接施用在田里。

20 secrecy   

n.秘密，保密，隐蔽

参考例句：

• All the researchers on the project are sworn to secrecy.该项目的所有研究人员都按要求起誓保守秘密。
• Complete secrecy surrounded the meeting.会议在绝对机密的环境中进行。

21 negotiations   

协商( negotiation的名词复数 )； 谈判； 完成（难事）； 通过

参考例句：

• negotiations for a durable peace 为持久和平而进行的谈判
• Negotiations have failed to establish any middle ground. 谈判未能达成任何妥协。

22 robust   

adj.强壮的，强健的，粗野的，需要体力的，浓的

参考例句：

• She is too tall and robust.她个子太高，身体太壮。
• China wants to keep growth robust to reduce poverty and avoid job losses,AP commented.美联社评论道，中国希望保持经济强势增长，以减少贫困和失业状况。

23 jeopardized   

危及，损害( jeopardize的过去式和过去分词 )

参考例句：

• The soldier jeopardized his life to save his comrade. 这个士兵冒生命的危险救他的同志。
• The occasional failed project or neglected opportunity does not jeopardized overall progress. 偶然失败的项目或失误的机会并没有影响总的进展。

24 withholding   

扣缴税款

参考例句：

• She was accused of withholding information from the police. 她被指控对警方知情不报。
• The judge suspected the witness was withholding information. 法官怀疑见证人在隐瞒情况。