A few days after being freed from prison last week, Egyptian novelist Ahmed Naji posted a long message to Facebook thanking the supporters who stood by him during his trial and 10-month incarceration for “violating public modesty” with an excerpt…
Tag: egypt
BBC’s 100 Women Includes Barrier-Breaking Middle Eastern Cartoonists
Every year, the BBC puts the spotlight on influential women around the world for its 100 Women series. For 2016, the list includes three Middle Eastern cartoonists fighting for women’s rights and freedom of expression: Doaa Eladl in Egypt, Riham Elhour…
Egyptian MPs Recommend Pardon for Jailed Novelist Naji
Jailed Egyptian novelist Ahmed Naji was included on a parliamentary committee’s list of recommended pardons sent to President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi on Sunday, the same day that the next hearing in Naji’s appeal of a conviction for “violating public modesty”…
Egyptian Court Rejects Naji’s Third Appeal for Release
A Cairo court on Saturday rejected author Ahmed Naji’s third appeal for release from prison, where he has now served 10 months of a two-year sentence for “violating public modesty” with an excerpt from his book Use of Life which…
Jailed Egyptian Novelist Ahmed Naji Files New Appeal for Release
Egyptian author Ahmed Naji, jailed since February after being convicted of “violating public modesty” with an excerpt from his novel Use of Life, is launching a new appeal for release after the government agreed to review the cases of political…
Exiled Egyptian Creator Tackles Big Issues in Dystopian Webcomic
In the immediate wake of the 2011 Tahrir Square uprising, the Egyptian graphic designer and comic creator who goes by Ganzeer gained notoriety as a street artist, painting murals of protesters who had died in the struggle. But in the…
Egyptian Court Denies Ailing Author’s Request for Bail Pending Appeal
Egyptian author Ahmed Naji’s request to be released from prison pending an appeal in his obscenity case was denied last week, meaning he will continue to serve his two-year sentence for “violating public modesty” until a higher court decides to…
Experimental Comics Thrive in Middle East Despite Obstacles
Without a doubt, the current world hot spot for underground and experimental comics is the Middle East and North Africa–a fact that might surprise many Americans. From Egypt’s Tok Tok to Lebanon’s Samandal to Nadia Khiari’s radical cartoon cat Willis…
Egyptian Indie Cartoonists: “The Pencil is a Tool Which All Dictators Hate”
The independent comics scene in Egypt is flourishing as more and more young adults find freedom of expression through the power of the pen. This is definitely the case for Cairo-based twin cartoonists Mohamed and Haitham El-Seht, who recently sat…
Writers and Readers Come Together to Support Jailed Egyptian Novelist
In a letter sent this week to Egyptian President Abdel Fatah al-Sisi, PEN America and more than 120 writers and artists from around the world demanded the release of novelist Ahmed Naji, currently sentenced to two years in prison for…