For creators tackling politically charged, socially taboo, or religiously sensitive topics in Egypt, the cost is often persecution—or worse. Women and LGBTQ+ individuals face heightened legal and societal backlash.
One prominent case is that of Galal El-Behairy, a poet and lyricist who has now been in prison for seven years. His case has been a long and convoluted one. His ordeal began when he was arrested at Cairo airport on 5 March 2018. He was initially charged with “joining a terrorist group”, “disseminating false news”, and “insulting the President” for lyrics he had written for the song Balaha, which was performed and disseminated online by exiled Egyptian singer Ramy Essam. Released a month earlier, in February 2018, the song criticises President Abdel-Fatah El-Sisi’s rule, saying “enough is enough”, and referring to Sisi by his derogatory nickname, “Balaha” referring to an Egyptian movie character known for being a compulsive liar.
These charges were dropped, but in July 2018, a military court sentenced El-Behairy to three years in prison for his unpublished poetry collection, The Finest Women on Earth, which he had planned to publish later that year. The title of the book was reportedly interpreted by the prosecution as alluding to Egyptian soldiers, who are referred to in a hadith by Prophet Muhammad as “the finest soldiers on earth”. El-Behairy denied this interpretation, stating that the title recognised women’s positive role in society. “This title does not refer in any way whatsoever to the Egyptian soldiers,” he wrote in May 2018 “It is rather a recognition of the value of women and of their good deeds in this world. Every soldier, man, fighter, scientist, and inventor is the result of a mother’s education, a wife’s embrace and a daughter’s innocence.”
El-Behairy completed his sentence in July 2021, yet more than three years later, he remains in prison on additional charges of “disseminating false information” and ”joining a terrorist organisation,” far exceeding the maximum two-year legal limit for detention without trial. He is reportedly in poor health, having undergone hunger strikes in 2023, a reported suicide attempt, and threats of torture. Most recently, there are concerns that he is being denied essential medical treatment.
Freemuse condemns the continued detention of Galal El-Behairy as a violation of his rights to freedom of expression, and in contravention of Egyptian law. The longer he is held in prison, the greater are the concerns for his health. Galal El-Behairy must be released, immediately and unconditionally.
Read Galal El-Behairy’s Letter from Tora Prison https://arablit.org/2018/06/09/poet-galal-el-behairys-letter-from-tora-prison/
