The new documentary Tickling Giants puts the spotlight on the important role of satire and humor in political dissent–in this case, Egyptian heart surgeon-turned-comedian Bassem Youssef, who launched a Daily Show-inspired TV program in the midst of the Arab Spring…
Tag: middle east/north africa
After Ban, Saudi Cartoonist Walks a Fine Line
In January 2016 the popular Saudi political cartoonist Abdullah Jaber seemingly disappeared from social media, fueling speculation among fans and colleagues as to what might have befallen him. He finally resurfaced 10 days later to quell rumors of arrest or…
Freed from Prison, Egyptian Novelist Naji Thanks Supporters Worldwide
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…
Exiled Syrian Cartoonist: “Drawing is the Strongest Weapon Against the Regime”
Five years ago as the Arab Spring swept through the Middle East, Syrian political cartoonist Ali Ferzat sensed a tipping point when it became his responsibility to help “break people’s fear,” in his words. Whereas his cartoons previously relied on…
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…
Jordanian Writer Charged With Blasphemy for Sharing Cartoon
A Jordanian writer turned himself in over the weekend to face charges of insulting Islam with a cartoon that he shared on Facebook intending to mock the worldview of ISIS fighters. Nahed Hattar, a controversial left-wing Christian columnist and staunch…
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…