Date of source: Tuesday, July 6, 2004
Some trends have intentionally sought to stoke the fire by depicting the Azhar as an
institution that aims to impede creativity and stifle freedom and artists. Real artists and
intellectuals are not those who are after fame, power and money to the detriment of principles
and values. There are...
Date of source: Friday, July 2, 2004
Investigations are underway by the censorship authorities
concerning the copies of Dr. Nawal Al-Sa’adawi’s “Fall of the Imam” that were leaked to the
Egyptian market, although the authorities had confiscated copies of the novel on December 13,
2000. The confiscation of the novel has caused...
Date of source: Saturday, July 3, 2004
This is not the
first time I go through the harship of takfir [being accused of unbelief]. I read in a newspaper
on June 25 that they received news from the Azhar saying that my book “Shukran Bin Laden” [thank
you Bin Laden] was confiscated and banned from circulation. Are our masters the...
Date of source: Monday, August 30, 2004
Journalists are now among those who are most frequently called up to the judge’s chambers. In
the past two months, 28 complaints have been filed against journalists in addition to 400 other
complaints that are under investigation.
Date of source: Thursday, June 3, 2004
Last week, the catastrophe of the confiscation of books appeared on the surface again
as two books were accused of offending religion. The book of “Shukran Bin Laden” [Thank you Bin
Laden] by Sayyed Al-Qimni was recommended to be banned by the Islamic Research Institute. The
other book “Tahya Al...
Date of source: Monday, September 27, 2004
A conference on the freedom of expression was lately held at the Bibliotheca Alexandrina in
cooperation with both the Reform Forum, affiliated with the Bibliotheca, and representatives of
freedom of expression from Norway.
The conference reviewed Arab and Norwegian reports about
the statuses of...
Date of source: Friday, October 1, 2004
Holding the conference on freedom of expression at the same time of the second annual
conference of the National Democratic Party is a mere coincidence. The difference between the
official view of reformation and what the Arab intellectuals aim at, is clear. Each view seems as
if it is related...
Date of source: Monday, June 21, 2004
Egypt’s long history is full of incidents of stifling the freedom to think, to choose,
and to be different. Stifling freedom of expression is justified by religion, morals, or the
public good. These are all masks for political interests and short-term gains. We live in a tribe
controlled by one...
Date of source: Tuesday, October 5, 2004
Dr. Moussa Hawamda, a
Jordanian poet, has become very famous in the last five years after the recent campaign against
his collection of poems My Trees Are Higher issued in fall 1999. Moussa Hawamda who was brought
before the Jordanian court five years ago and then sentenced to six months...
Date of source: Sunday, February 29, 2004
Nasr Hamid Abu Zeid does not like to be presented as the oppressed or the exiled
intellectual. In his writings, he confirmed that the aim of his discussions and questions is “not
doubting the validity but attempting to understand.” He untiringly calls for “the freedom of
research, discussion and...