00:00British-Egyptian dissident ala Abdi al-Fattah arrives in London after Egyptian authorities lifted a travel ban that had remained in place despite his release from prison in September.
00:12Abdi al-Fattah spent nearly a decade behind bars, largely for speaking out against the Egyptian government's treatment of dissidents.
00:20Although he had already completed a five-year sentence, authorities kept him imprisoned for an additional two years, refusing to count his pre-trial detention as time served.
00:31A first attempt to leave Cairo for London last November was blocked by security forces.
00:37Since then, Abdi al-Fattah had been negotiating permission to travel freely amid fears that leaving Egypt could mean permanent exile.
00:44His arrival in the UK marks a major moment for one of the most prominent voices to emerge from the Arab Spring.
00:51From a family of well-known human rights activists, Abdi al-Fattah rose to prominence in 2011, gaining international recognition for his clear, non-sectarian writing and advocacy.
01:03In 2019, he was sentenced to five years in prison on charges of spreading false news after a trial widely criticised by rights groups.
01:10Last year, his family were stunned when authorities indicated he would not be released until 2027.
01:17Now back in London, supporters say his freedom to travel represents a hard one step forward, but question remains over his rights back in Egypt.
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