democrati.net
T. Fouad, MD
Disenfranchisement as a means of political suppression in post-revolutionary Egypt
In an article, published on Voice of America’s Middle East Voices, I discuss the problem of disenfranchisement, or the act of preventing a citizen from voting, and concerns that it may be used as a means to undermine democracy in post-revolutionary Egypt. My article is based on an earlier report published by Aljazeera which deliberates … Continue reading
Egyptian girl naked photo. Is Egypt ready for nude art?
“All art is propaganda; on the other hand, not all propaganda is art.” (George Orwell) A young Egyptian girl, Aliaa ElMahdy, who claims to have among the protesters in Tahrir Square, posted naked photos of herself and a male friend on her personal blog. She calls this section of her blog “nude art” and displays … Continue reading
Natural Rights, Human Rights, Legal Rights, Civil Rights – Differences
As Egypt transitions towards self-rule, Egyptians need to know their rights. Rights come in many forms, so I thought I would write this article to outline the differences. If you think it’s useful, or would like to translate this article into Arabic just send me a note. Natural Rights (حقوق طبیعیة) Natural Rights, also known … Continue reading
Can an election boycott in Egypt work? A few thoughts
The answer is NO and here’s why. Last year, calls for an election boycott were louder and it still had little effect. This year the calls are hesitant, and weak. In another article, I discuss the historical lack of effectiveness and the dangers of election boycotts in general (Egypt, how effective are election boycotts?). Here I … Continue reading
Egypt, how effective are election boycotts?
Please also refer to this related article: Can an election boycott in Egypt work? A few thoughts November 28, 2010 was the date that marked the most fraudulent election polls in Egypt’s history. And exactly one year later, Egypt’s first post-revolution elections will take place. This should be cause for jubilation; sadly however, many of the … Continue reading
Essam Atta – swallowing detergent is standard prison procedure in Egypt
Since the publication of my article “Essam Atta alleged torture method known as water cure“, another theory has emerged that suggests that the victim was forced to swallow large quantities of water mixed with a laundry detergent. This account was conveyed by Ineam Atta, the subject’s mother. Ineam recounted how another prisoner told her that her son had … Continue reading
Essam Atta alleged torture method known as water cure
The death of 23 year old, Essam Atta, at Tora prison in Cairo has prompted public anger and mass demonstrations. Rights activists and family members claimed Atta was tortured to death by repeatedly forcing large quantities of water into his body using hoses over the course of two days. A report issued by the university … Continue reading
Essam Atta autopsy – Conflicts in the eyewitness doctor report
I rarely get to blog about medicine here but I just want to highlight a few conflicts between the official reports on the cause of death for the alleged torture victim, Esaam Atta, and the account of an eyewitness to the autopsy, Dr. Ahmed Seyam, who is affiliated to a group named “Tahrir Doctors”. Dr. … Continue reading
Religious slogans between freedom of expression and social responsibility
As I write this article, news has surfaced that the Freedom and Justice Party (FJP), the Muslim Brotherhood’s political wing, will not use the Brotherhood’s famous motto “Islam is the Solution” in their political campaigns. Last week, the High Elections Commission issued a ban against the use of religious chants, symbols or slogans in the … Continue reading
Egypt’s first anti-discrimination law raises concerns
Egypt’s military rulers approved Egypt’s first explicit anti-discrimination law this Saturday. The announcement comes a week after clashes between Coptic protesters and the military resulted in the death of more than twenty Christian protesters. The amendment to Egypt’s Penal Code prohibits all forms of discrimination on the basis of gender, religion, language or ideology. Discrimination was … Continue reading
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