UK politicians push for travel warning to Egypt amid arbitrary detention worries

Former UK ambassador to Egypt, John Casson, is among a group of British politicians urging the government to update its travel advisory for Egypt, warning of the risk of arbitrary detention for UK nationals.

“Egypt pretends to be a friend of the UK and is dependent on British visitors to keep its economy afloat. We have to demonstrate that that is not compatible with abusing our citizens and blocking our embassy,” Casson said, as quoted by The Guardian.

Tourism is a critical pillar of Egypt’s economy, generating around $31 billion in 2023. Approximately 500,000 UK tourists travel to Egypt each year, contributing significantly to the country’s revenue.

The call for a revised travel advisory follows the findings of an independent UN investigation that concluded the 2019 arrest of British-Egyptian writer and human rights activist, Alaa Abd el-Fattah, was both arbitrary and unlawful. (for more, read this ) 

Despite multiple appeals by UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer for Abd el-Fattah’s release, he remains imprisoned. UK consular officials have been denied access to him, as Egyptian authorities refuse to acknowledge his dual citizenship.

Casson, alongside Labour politicians Lady Helena Kennedy and Lord Peter Hain, has co-signed a letter urging the UK government to expand its current travel warnings. While the UK presently advises against travel to certain parts of Egypt, it does not caution against visiting major tourist destinations like Cairo, Luxor, or Aswan.

Casson emphasized that the legal and diplomatic environment in Egypt poses serious risks to British travelers.

“If you post the wrong thing on social media, there is no guarantee your rights will be protected. There is no guarantee of due process, and we cannot even be sure the British embassy will be able to visit you in the normal way,” he warned.