Asmaa Mahfouz
Encyclopedia
Asmaa Mahfouz is an Egyptian activist and one of the founders of the April 6 Youth Movement
. She has been credited by journalist Mona Eltahawy and others with helping to spark mass uprising through her video blog posted one week before the start of the 2011 Egyptian revolution
. She is a prominent member of Egypt's Coalition of the Youth of the Revolution
and one of the leaders of the Egyptian revolution.
In 2011, she was one of five recipients of the "Sakharov Prize
for Freedom of Thought" awarded for contributions to "historic changes in the Arab world
." The other joint recipients were Ahmed al-Senussi
, Razan Zaitouneh
, Ali Farzat
and Mohamed Bouazizi
of the Arab Spring
.
, Asmaa graduated from Cairo University
with a BA in Business Administration. She would later join several other young Egyptian in founding the April 6 Youth Movement
. She currently works for a computer company.
. The video was uploaded to Youtube and, within days, went "viral". In an interview with al-Mihwar TV, she said that a week before 25 January, she posted a video to Facebook announcing that she would be going to Tahrir Square to protest. Mahfouz said that four other young Egyptians joined her, and that the internal security services quickly surrounded and moved the group away from the square.
Following this, she posted another video announcing her intention to go to the square again on 25 January, a national holiday in Egypt
honoring police who died in a confrontation with British forces. In this video, she challenged Egyptians to take to the street, saying,
Later in 2011, Mahfouz was arrested on charges of defaming the Egyptian military rulers
for calling them a "council of dogs". She was referred to a military court, prompting activists, as well as presidential hopefuls such as Mohamed El Baradei and Ayman Nour, to protest her being charged in a military court. Mahfouz was released on bail in the amount of 20,000 Egyptian Pounds, equivalent to approximately 3,350 US dollars and after that the supreme council of Armed forces renounced the charge and charges were released of Asmaa and another activist called Loay Nagaty.
movement. When asked why she came to the OWS protest she replied, "Many of U.S. residents was in solidarity with us. So, we have to keep going all over the world, because another world is possible for all of us."
April 6 Youth Movement
The April 6 Youth Movement is an Egyptian Facebook group started in Spring 2008 to support the workers in El-Mahalla El-Kubra, an industrial town, who were planning to strike on April 6....
. She has been credited by journalist Mona Eltahawy and others with helping to spark mass uprising through her video blog posted one week before the start of the 2011 Egyptian revolution
2011 Egyptian revolution
The 2011 Egyptian revolution took place following a popular uprising that began on Tuesday, 25 January 2011 and is still continuing as of November 2011. The uprising was mainly a campaign of non-violent civil resistance, which featured a series of demonstrations, marches, acts of civil...
. She is a prominent member of Egypt's Coalition of the Youth of the Revolution
Coalition of the Youth of the Revolution
The Coalition of the Youth of the Revolution is a coalition of organisations of young people involved in the Egyptian Revolution of 2011.-Members:Members include:* The April 6 Youth Movement* A youth organisation of the Muslim Brotherhood...
and one of the leaders of the Egyptian revolution.
In 2011, she was one of five recipients of the "Sakharov Prize
Sakharov Prize
The Sakharov Prize for Freedom of Thought, named after Soviet scientist and dissident Andrei Sakharov, was established in December 1988 by the European Parliament as a means to honour individuals or organisations who have dedicated their lives to the defence of human rights and freedom of thought...
for Freedom of Thought" awarded for contributions to "historic changes in the Arab world
Arab world
The Arab world refers to Arabic-speaking states, territories and populations in North Africa, Western Asia and elsewhere.The standard definition of the Arab world comprises the 22 states and territories of the Arab League stretching from the Atlantic Ocean in the west to the Arabian Sea in the...
." The other joint recipients were Ahmed al-Senussi
Ahmed al-Senussi
Ahmed Al-Zubair al-Senussi, also known as Zubeir Ahmed El-Sharif, is a Libyan member of the Senussi house and a member of the National Transitional Council representing political prisoners. He is a great-nephew of Idris of Libya, the only king of Libya, and was named after his grandfather Ahmed...
, Razan Zaitouneh
Razan Zaitouneh
Razan Zaitouneh is a Syrian human rights lawyer. Actively involved in the 2011 Syrian uprising, she has gone into hiding after being accused by the government of being a foreign agent. Her husband has been arrested. On 27 October 2011, she was awarded the 2011 Sakharov Prize jointly with four...
, Ali Farzat
Ali Farzat
Ali Farzat , is a renowned Syrian political cartoonist. He has published more than 15,000 caricatures between Syrian, Arab and international newspapers. He serves as the head of the Arab Cartoonists' Association.-Career:...
and Mohamed Bouazizi
Mohamed Bouazizi
Mohamed Bouazizi was a Tunisian street vendor who set himself on fire on 17 December 2010, in protest of the confiscation of his wares and the harassment and humiliation that he reported was inflicted on him by a municipal official and her aides...
of the Arab Spring
Arab Spring
The Arab Spring , otherwise known as the Arab Awakening, is a revolutionary wave of demonstrations and protests occurring in the Arab world that began on Saturday, 18 December 2010...
.
Overview
Born in 1985 in EgyptEgypt
Egypt , officially the Arab Republic of Egypt, Arabic: , is a country mainly in North Africa, with the Sinai Peninsula forming a land bridge in Southwest Asia. Egypt is thus a transcontinental country, and a major power in Africa, the Mediterranean Basin, the Middle East and the Muslim world...
, Asmaa graduated from Cairo University
Cairo University
Cairo University is a public university located in Giza, Egypt.The university was founded on December 21, 1908, as the result of an effort to establish a national center for educational thought...
with a BA in Business Administration. She would later join several other young Egyptian in founding the April 6 Youth Movement
April 6 Youth Movement
The April 6 Youth Movement is an Egyptian Facebook group started in Spring 2008 to support the workers in El-Mahalla El-Kubra, an industrial town, who were planning to strike on April 6....
. She currently works for a computer company.
January 2011 uprising in Egypt
Mahfouz has been credited with having sparked the protests that began the uprising in January 2011 in Cairo. In a video blog posted to Facebook on 18 January, she called on Egyptians to demand their human rights and to voice their disapproval of the regime of Hosni MubarakHosni Mubarak
Muhammad Hosni Sayyid Mubarak is a former Egyptian politician and military commander. He served as the fourth President of Egypt from 1981 to 2011....
. The video was uploaded to Youtube and, within days, went "viral". In an interview with al-Mihwar TV, she said that a week before 25 January, she posted a video to Facebook announcing that she would be going to Tahrir Square to protest. Mahfouz said that four other young Egyptians joined her, and that the internal security services quickly surrounded and moved the group away from the square.
Following this, she posted another video announcing her intention to go to the square again on 25 January, a national holiday in Egypt
National Police Day (Egypt)
National Police Day is a national holiday in Egypt that occurs each year on January 25.The holiday commemorates and is a remembrance for 50 police officers killed and more wounded when they refused British demands to hand over weapons and evacuate the Ismaïlia Police Station on 25 January 1952...
honoring police who died in a confrontation with British forces. In this video, she challenged Egyptians to take to the street, saying,
If you think yourself a man, come with me on 25 January. Whoever says women shouldn’t go to protests because they will get beaten, let him have some honor and manhood and come with me on 25 January. Whoever says it is not worth it because there will only be a handful of people, I want to tell him, 'You are the reason behind this, and you are a traitor, just like the president or any security cop who beats us in the streets.'
Later in 2011, Mahfouz was arrested on charges of defaming the Egyptian military rulers
Supreme Council of the Armed Forces
The Supreme Council of the Armed Forces consists of a body of 20 senior officers in the Egyptian military. As a consequence of the Egyptian Revolution of 2011, the Council took the power to govern Egypt from its departing President Hosni Mubarak on February 11, 2011.The junta meets regularly, as...
for calling them a "council of dogs". She was referred to a military court, prompting activists, as well as presidential hopefuls such as Mohamed El Baradei and Ayman Nour, to protest her being charged in a military court. Mahfouz was released on bail in the amount of 20,000 Egyptian Pounds, equivalent to approximately 3,350 US dollars and after that the supreme council of Armed forces renounced the charge and charges were released of Asmaa and another activist called Loay Nagaty.
Support of Occupy Wall Street
On October 23, Mahfouz held a teach-in at Liberty Plaza, in a show of support for the Occupy Wall StreetOccupy Wall Street
Occupy Wall Street is an ongoing series of demonstrations initiated by the Canadian activist group Adbusters which began September 17, 2011 in Zuccotti Park, located in New York City's Wall Street financial district...
movement. When asked why she came to the OWS protest she replied, "Many of U.S. residents was in solidarity with us. So, we have to keep going all over the world, because another world is possible for all of us."
See also
- Ahmed MaherAhmed Maher (youth leader)Ahmed Maher, , is one of the co-founders of the April 6 Youth Movement, and a prominent participant in the anti-Mubarak demonstrations in Egypt in 2011....
- Waleed RashedWaleed RashedWaleed Rashed is one of the co-founders of the April 6 Youth Movement and a prominent participant in the anti-Mubarak demonstrations in Egypt in 2011. ,...
- Civil resistanceCivil resistanceThe term civil resistance, alongside the term nonviolent resistance, is used to describe political action that relies on the use of non-violent methods by civil groups to challenge a particular power, force, policy or regime. Civil resistance operates through appeals to the adversary, pressure and...
- Israa Abdel FattahIsraa Abdel FattahEsraa Abdel Fatah is an Egyptian internet activist and blogger.Esraa worked as a human resources administrator, when she co-founded April 6 Youth Movement Egypt in 2008, a Facebook group that was made to support the workers in El-Mahalla El-Kubra, an industrial town, who were planning to...
- Wael GhonimWael GhonimWael Ghonim is an Internet activist and computer engineer with an interest in social entrepreneurship....
- Nonviolent resistanceNonviolent resistanceNonviolent resistance is the practice of achieving goals through symbolic protests, civil disobedience, economic or political noncooperation, and other methods, without using violence. It is largely synonymous with civil resistance...
- Malalai AnaaMalalai AnaaMalalai of Maiwand , also known as Malalai or Malalai Anaa is a national folk hero of Afghanistan who rallied the Pashtun army against the British troops at the 1880 Battle of Maiwand...
- List of women who sparked a revolution