Irish student Ibrahim Halawa writes heartbreaking letter home to mark three years in Egyptian prison

An Irish student who was arrested three years ago on Wednesday for taking part in a peaceful protest in Egypt has written a letter to mark the anniversary, apologising for not being around to his parents, family and friends.

Ibrahim Halawa, who was born and raised in Dublin, was just 17 when he was detained along with hundreds of others during a visit to family in Cairo. He now faces a potential death sentence.

In a report also released on Wednesday, an influential committee of British lawyers said it was “gravely concerned” by Mr Halawa’s case, which it said constitutes a serious breach of international law.

Now aged 20, Mr Halawa has written to his family to say he is “sorry it has been three years”, and to thank the people of Ireland for fighting for his release. The letter has been passed on to The Independent by Mr Halawa’s sister, Somaia.

He apologises in the letter to his mother, for the three years “you have been chasing me from prison to prison”.

To his father, Mr Halawa said he was sorry “you wake up every morning knowing that you might never see me again”.

And to Somaia and another sister, Omaima, who have been married while he has been in prison, Mr Halawa writes: “I am sorry I couldn’t be there as a brother for you… I am sorry I couldn’t be at your wedding[s] to take you by your hand.”

Mr Halawa has previously spoken of how he has been tortured and abused in prison, as well as witnessing a fellow inmate being “crucified”. Somalia Halawa said he had “been through extreme oppression and corruption yet he has been able to keep sane and hold on”.

“Ibrahim wanted to share such hard memories with all those supporters who have constantly been there for him throughout it,” she said.

In its report today, the Bar Human Rights Committee called for the “immediate transfer” of Mr Halawa to his home country.

Kirsty Brimelow QC, chair of the committee, said that “each of the individual aspects of Ibrahim Halawa’s case” involved a breach of international law by Egypt.

She said: “He has been subjected to several years of pre-trial detention, violently assaulted by the Egyptian police and denied access to a lawyer or a fair trial”, and added: “During part of this period, Mr Halawa was a child. [His] urgent release is required.”

Last month, the UK Foreign Office said that its “growing concern” over the human rights situation in Egypt had led to a “step change” in its approach to the country. Ministers said they had recently urged the UN Human Rights Council to pay close attention to Egypt.

Harriet McCulloch, deputy director of the death penalty team at the human rights organisation Reprieve, which has been assisting Ibrahim with his case, said in a statement: “Egypt’s treatment of Ibrahim Halawa and many others over the past three years is nothing short of an outrage – he was arrested when he was a child, detained arbitrarily, tortured, and subjected to a mass trial that could see him and hundreds more sentenced to death.

The Bar Human Rights Committee is right to call for Ibrahim’s immediate release, and the UK must follow up on its recent statements of concern and do the same. If Egypt’s government is serious about justice, it must free Ibrahim and the many prisoners it is holding unjustly.”

Full transcript of Ibrahim Halawa’s letter:

I am sorry it has been 3 years.

Dad, I am sorry that for 3 years your son has been taken away from you without being able to see him. I am sorry that you raised me to be righteous and ambitious, I am sorry you wake up every morning knowing that you might never see me again. I am sorry it has been 3 years.

Mom, I’m sorry that for 3 years you have been chasing me from prison to prison. I am sorry that you saw me dragged just because you wanted an extra minute to make your your son is fine. I’m sorry you can’t be happy with me like most mothers. I’m sorry it has been three years.

Nosaiba, Ahmed, Somaia, Khadija, Fatima and omaima. I am sorry I couldn’t be there as a brother for you. I am sorry I couldn’t be an uncle for your kids. Somaia and Omaima, I am sorry I couldn’t be at your wedding to take by your hand and make it the best day of your life. I am sorry that standing up for rights had us split up. I am sorry it has been three years.

Anas my friend, I’m sorry that our plan we drew for ourselves in primary school has ended before it started. I am sorry i can’t be you best friend. I am sorry it has been 3 years.

Ireland, I’m sorry I’ve been away from you for 3 years. I’m sorry I can’t see your kind people. I’m sorry I can’t see your bright green colour. I’m sorry I can’t walk your beautiful mountains. I’m sorry I can’t breathe your reviving air. I’m sorry I can’t soak from you pure rain drops. I’m sorry I can’t watch the city as it get early in the morning. I’m sorry I can’t live the happiness of the villages around Ireland. I’m sorry I can’t watch the blue sea from your high cliffs. I’m sorry it has been 3 years.

Irish people, I’m sorry that for 3 years you have been fighting for my release. I’m sorry for the years I have missed between you. I’m sorry for missing out on all the Irish gatherings. I’m sorry I was stolen away from the warmth of the Irish laughter. I’m sorry for a limitless language expressing limitless feelings, but I’m fighting for what you though me to die for. I’m fighting for other to gain democracy like back home. I’m sorry that I am willing to die for freedom. I am sorry it has been three years.

Ibrahim Halawa, 17/08/2016.