Human Rights

Trapped in Hell: Shawkan’s Uncertain Future

Posted on by Mark Aldrich

A journalist’s job is to be in the wrong place at the wrong time.

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The next court appearance for the photojournalist Mahmoud Abu Zeid (“Shawkan”) is December 10 in Cairo, Egypt. It will be the latest chapter in a three-year saga, a Kafkaesque tale that should not be taking place at all. Some background about this tale of a journalist trapped in a story:
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I’m with the Banned

Posted on by Mark Aldrich

Some thoughts on freedom of speech …

In an ideal world, there would be no need for the phrase, “In an ideal world.”

We do not reside in an ideal world.
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Oct. 22: Where is Shawkan?

Posted on by Mark Aldrich

Update, October 21/22, 2016: A source close to Mahmoud Abou Zeid, the Egyptian photographer known as “Shawkan,” reported to me today that there is less that is known with certainty about Shawkan’s whereabouts than what has been reported in the media in the last 48 hours, including in this website.

What is known this Friday night/Saturday morning is that when Shawkan’s brother, Mehmet, visited Tora Prison to see his brother earlier this week, he was informed that Shawkan was not at the prison. (Mehmet confirmed that himself to this website and to other publications.) This was the first time that anyone had learned of Shawkan’s transfer. To the best that I have been able to ascertain, even Shawkan’s lawyers had not been contacted in advance or advised about any changes in Shawkan’s status.

It is understood that about 300 prisoners were moved from Tora Prison recently (even the date is not yet known) and Shawkan is believed to be one of the prisoners. Because no one has been in contact with Shawkan himself, it is not known where he is tonight: he could be back in Tora Prison or still be at another location.
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