UK – The Guardian, October 10, 2024
British-Egyptian writer, software developer and activist Alaa Abd el-Fattah has been named this year’s PEN writer of courage. The 42-year-old is still in prison in Egypt, despite having completed his five-year sentence for allegedly “spreading false news”.
“Let’s remember that this is an innocent man who has committed no crime, but even so, he will have served his time on 29 September,” Abd el-Fattah’s sister, Sanaa Seif, said last month.
Every year, the winner of the PEN Pinter prize shares their award with a writer of courage, chosen from a shortlist of international writers who have actively defended freedom of expression put forward by human rights organisation English PEN. Arundhati Roy, as winner of the 2024 prize, selected Abd el-Fattah.
The Indian author said she wanted to share her prize with Abd el-Fattah “for the same reason that Egyptian authorities have chosen to keep him in prison for two more years instead of releasing him last month. Because his voice is as beautiful as it is dangerous. Because his understanding of what we are facing today is as sharp as a dagger’s edge.”
