Dalia Ziada
An award-winning author and political analyst, Ziada had to flee Egypt after receiving threats for her condemnation of Hamas and support for Israel following the October 7th attacks. A… More
Hisham Kassem
Kassem, former publisher of Al-Masry Al-Youm newspaper and a free speech advocate, was detained in August 2023 for four days for allegedly insulting a public employee. In September he… More
Call for Egyptian Government to Immediately Release Poet Galal El-Behairy, Following Reported Suicide Attempt
Justin Shilad, PEN America’s Middle East and North Africa research and advocacy lead, said: “The Egyptian government is responsible for Galal El-Behairy’s health and safety behind bars, just as… More
In Censoring Poet, Egyptian Government Bending Every Rule to Silence a Song
Galal El-Behairy’s ordeal over the past five years is a testament both to his strength and the Egyptian government’s ultimate weakness. More
Arrest of Another Journalist in Egypt Casts Further Doubt Over Country’s Commitment to Free Expression
"The arrest of Karim Asaad and ongoing detention of Hisham Kassem once again spotlight Egypt’s dire record on freedom of expression and cast serious doubts on the government’s broader… More
Joint Letter – Biden Administration Should Not Provide Military Aid to Egypt in Light of Ongoing Human Rights Violations
Withholding the full amount conditioned on human rights will demonstrate the continued importance that the United States places on the Egyptian government adequately addressing the dire human rights crisis. More
Civil Society Organizations Condemn Sentencing of Egyptian Academic and Researcher Patrick George Zaki
We civil society organizations condemn the three-year prison sentence handed down to human rights researcher and academic Patrick George Zaki. More
Relief that Egyptian Writer Patrick Zaki is Pardoned and Released from Prison After Sentencing for “Spreading False News”
Justin Shilad, research and advocacy lead for the Middle East and North Africa at PEN America, said: “The sentence against Patrick Zaki is an outrage, and indicative of the… More
PEN America Decries Continued Imprisonment of Poet Galal El-Behairy, Who is Prepared to Escalate his Hunger Strike by Refusing Water
“Five years of arbitrary detention for nothing other than writing poetry and song lyrics has brought Galal El-Behairy to a point where his life is potentially in critical danger,… More
Mahmoud Saad Diab
A columnist and online commentator, Diab has written opinion pieces on international issues for the Al-Ahram state-run newspaper. He was arrested at Cairo International Airport as he was boarding… More
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