Husband calls for PM to intervene after wife detained in Egypt

The husband of a woman who was detained by the Egyptian authorities has called for Prime Minister Andy Burnham to get involved and help with her release.

Eman el-Shazly, from Handsworth Wood, in Birmingham, was taken from her mother's house in Cairo two months ago, allegedly in relation to her sister's online activism.

Her husband, Zeesharn Moustapha, said that their family felt "very helpless" and that their "only possible solution" was for Burnham to "make a phone call to Egypt" to end the detainment.

The BBC has approached the Egyptian consulate in London for a response. The Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office said it was in contact with authorities in Egypt.

Moustapha said he had had "no contact whatsoever" with his wife, but had heard from her mother that her health had deteriorated due to a lack of food and medical assistance.

"It's not a five-star hotel, there's 30 individuals sleeping in a cell with one toilet and one shower," he said.

He told the BBC that his wife had travelled to Egypt to look after her elderly, sick mother, who had been undertaking 18-hour round trips to take food to el-Shazly's two brothers in detention.