Abdelrahman ElGendy
Abdelrahman ElGendy is a former political prisoner in Egypt who spent more than six years behind bars, from Oct. 6, 2013, until his release on Jan. 13, 2020. He was arrested at 17, and left prison at 24. While in prison, he earned a mechanical engineering degree from Ain Shams University. In prison, his smuggled writings were published online, and he has continued to write for several platforms since his release.
Latest from Abdelrahman ElGendy
Kevin Hart’s Tour in Cairo Sparks Debate on Afrocentrism and the Pharaohs
Egyptians have not taken kindly to Hart’s comments about ancient Egypt, and a viral campaign was launched, calling for the cancellation of the show of the superstar they accused of “blackwashing” and “stealing their history.”
Women’s Rights Groups in Egypt and Lebanon Take Aim at Saad Lamjarred
The joint campaigns may not succeed this time around, but that doesn’t change the undeniable fact: A shift is taking place in the women’s rights sphere in the region, one that diversifies the means of holding sexual offenders accountable for their crimes.
What a Hunger Strike in Egypt Says About Power
Only when I experienced prison myself and grasped the power dynamics did I understand: Prisoners go on hunger strikes not because they cannot resist anymore but because the only act of resistance left to reclaim their body is to destroy it.
The Power of a Smile in Prison
The guard snapped at me that he will shoot the picture and take it to the chief intelligence officer, and then I’ll regret not having shut my mouth. I kept my mouth stretched in the widest smile.
When I Spent Six Years Behind Bars, a Smuggled T-shirt Took on Deeper Meaning
In prison, one is not just broken by torture, beatings and violent treatment. It is the continuous, systemic and unrelenting dehumanization that wrecks you in the end.