Egypt
Egyptian authorities deploy a combination of surveillance, judicial harassment, smear campaigns, threats, and travel bans to silence writers, journalists, artists, and human rights defenders. Since President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi seized power in 2014, authorities have tightened control over the media and cultural sectors, with independent voices silenced through vague anti-terrorism, cybercrime, and other national security laws. Egypt’s signature tactic—“rotation”—is central to this system, as detainees are charged in new cases to override release orders or acquittals, keeping critics jailed indefinitely.
What You Need to Know
Egypt consistently ranks in the top 10 jailers of writers in the Freedom to Write Index, with a total of 13 writers behind bars in 2025.
At least 11 of 13 writers jailed during 2025 were held in prolonged pretrial detention, underscoring its frequent use to suppress free expression.
Egypt uses vague national security laws, such as “belonging to a terrorist group,” to justify arbitrary detention of writers and other critics.
News
Individual Cases
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Galal El-Behairy
Status: DetainedGalal El-Behairy is an Egyptian poet, lyricist, and activist who has been imprisoned since his arrest at Cairo International Airport… More
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Ahmed Douma
Status: DetainedAhmed Douma, an Egyptian activist, blogger, and poet, has faced repeated arrest, prosecution, and abuse since 2013 linked to his… More
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Ashraf Omar
Status: DetainedAshraf Omar, a cartoonist and translator for independent outlets like Al-Manassa and Mada Masr, was arrested on July 22, 2024… More
2025 PEN/Barbey Freedom to Write Award Honoree
Egyptian poet and lyricist Galal El-Behairy received the 2025 PEN/Barbey Freedom to Write Award. El-Behairy was jailed in 2018 after writing song lyrics and a poetry collection, and a military court sentenced him to three years in prison. Though he served the full sentence, the Egyptian government brought new charges against him and continues to hold him in what amounts to indefinite pretrial detention.