A small protest outside the British Consulate turned into a powerful stand for imprisoned writer Alaa Abd el-Fattah and forced the building to close its doors, writesPEN Melbourne.

THE BRITISH CONSULATE in Melbourne closed its doors on Monday 16 June, after being informed of a plannedPEN Melbourneprotest about the ongoing arbitrary detention of high-profile writer and human rights activistAlaa Abd el-Fattahin Egypt.

Abd el-Fattah, adual British-Egyptian citizen, is an award-winning poet and political philosopher who was a key figure in the 2011-12 uprising that toppled former Egyptian PresidentHosni Mubaraks government, but has spent most of the period since then locked up and subject to ill treatment, including torture.

Monday's Melbourne action, aimed at building awareness of el-Fattahs case and increasing pressure on the British and Australian Governments to raise the case more forcefully with Egypt, saw PEN Melbourne members with Free Alaa placards, anopen letterand information sheets take up a position outside the consulate's office building at The Paris End of Collins Street.

SpokespersonJackie Mansourian, a coordinator of the group'sWriters in Prisonnetwork, said PEN Melbourne had adopted Abd el-Fattahs case because it had become clear that focusing on individuals was one of the most powerful things the organisation could do to increase awareness about the situation in particular countries.

Peter Greste, in London supporting the release of activist Alaa Abd el-Fattah, says hes coping well with the hunger strike he began eight days ago.

Further, Abd el-Fattah, whose book,You Have Not Yet Been Defeated, challenges readers to fix [their] own democracy, was the type of person needed not only by the countries he lives in but by the world at large, she said.

Mansourian said:

Australian journalist owes his life to Abd el-Fattah

Australian journalistPeter Grestesays that he owes his life to Abd el-Fattah for the support he gave him during his imprisonment in Cairo in 2012. This encounter was featured in the recent release ofThe Correspondent, with Grestes experiences re-enacted byRichard Roxburgh, and Abd el-Fattah, played by Australian actorMojean Aria.

Earlier this year, Greste joined Abd el-Fattahs mother,Laila Soueif,on ahunger striketo urge Britain to pressure Egypt for his friends release. More than 250 days on, Laila Soueif is continuing the hunger strike, in an increasingly frail condition, in a London hospital.

Among the busy commuters and other members of the public who joined the PEN Melbourne protest during the blistering cold was a Pakistani refugee, an art dealer with diplomatic connections and a senior citizen who congratulated the crew for their commitment.

Its because of people like you that justice gets done, this admirer said, taking a copy of the 16 June open letter about the unjustly imprisoned Alaa Abd el-Fattah. Consulate staff also received a copy of this letter via a police officer.

PEN Melbourneis one of 147 PEN International centres worldwide, whose members are united by a common concern for the art of writing and freedom of expression.