This groundbreaking collection of writings by prisoners of conscience in Egypt offers a unique lens on the global rise of authoritarianism over the last decade.
This book contains letters, poetry, and art produced by Egyptians imprisoned from the eruption of the January 25, 2011, uprising through the fall of 2023. Some are by journalists, lawyers, activists, and artists imprisoned for expressing their opposition to Egypt's authoritarian order; others are by ordinary citizens caught up in the zeal to silence any hint of challenge to state power, including bystanders whose only crime was to be near a police sweep.
Together, the contributors to Imprisoning a Revolution raise profound questions about the nature of politics both in authoritarian regimes and in their "democratic" allies, who continue to enable and support such violence. This collection offers few answers and even less consolation, but it does offer voices from behind the prison walls that remind readers of our collective obligation not to look away or remain silent. With a foreword by acclaimed Egyptian novelist Ahmed Naji and an afterword with Kenyan literary giant Ngũgĩ wa Thiong'o, this book holds a mirror not just to Egypt but to the world today, urging us to stop the rampant abuse and denial of fundamental human rights around the globe.
Imprisoning a Revolution Writings from Egypt's Incarcerated
About the Book
Reviews
"While a candle burns, darkness doesn't win. As long as a prisoner with a pen has the courage to put words to paper, darkness won't win. These remarkable, eloquent, and heart-wrenching testimonies from some of those unjustly incarcerated in Egypt remind us that human rights courage burns even today and gives all of us hope for a brighter future."—Paul O'Brien, Executive Director, Amnesty International USA"Ahmed Naji writes in his foreword that for political prisoners, 'writing is the highest form of resistance.' This epic collection of prisoner texts testifies to his observation that their 'will has not been broken' and that they remain 'capable of thinking, creating, and innovating.'"—A. Dirk Moses, author of The Problems of Genocide