Alaa Abd El Fattah was jailed under Hosni Mubarak's regime for 45 days and again by the Supreme Council of the Armed Forces in 2011, when he remained in jail for almost two months. He also faced charges under Mohamed Morsi's government in 2013, along with popular satirist Bassem Youssef, in what many perceived to be politically motivated charges used as an intimidation tactic. 
Alaa Abd El Fattah alifungwa jela chini ya utawala wa Hosni Mubarak kwa siku 45 na tena na Baraza Kuu la Vikosi vya Jeshi mwaka 2011, ambapo yeye alibakia jela kwa karibu miezi miwili. vilevile alikakabiliwa na mashtaka chini ya utawala wa Mohamed Morsi mwaka wa 2013, pamoja mwandishi maarufu anayetumia jina la uandishi Bassem Youssef, katika kile wengi walijua kuwa mashtaka ya kisiasa kutumika kama mbinu ya vitisho.