In July, Ashraf Omar, the cartoonist for the independent Al-Manassa news platform in Egypt, submitted cartoons about Egypt's economic crisis and energy and infrastructure problems. Days later, on July 22, Omar was taken from his home by plainclothes police personnel.
After the police denied any knowledge of his whereabouts for three days, it was confirmed that he was being held by the police. It's alleged that he was beaten and threatened with electrocution during interrogation, according to Terry Anderson, Executive Director of Cartoonists Rights.
For nine consecutive online court hearings since then, a judge has added fifteen days to Omar's pre-trial detention, and it's expected that a tenth consecutive 15-day extension will soon be imposed. There has been an international call for Omar's release.
Anderson writes:
"Later this week, Egyptian cartoonist Ashraf Omar will be the subject of an online court hearing – really nothing more than a glorified Zoom conference – in Cairo, and in all likelihood after only a few moment's consideration a judge will instruct that fifteen days be added to his "pretrial detention", held on suspicion of "joining a terrorist group while being aware of its purposes, disseminating and publishing rumours and false news and information, and abuse of social media", allegations he denies and for which no evidence has been presented."
There is no limit to how many times this cycle of fifteen-day extensions to Omar's imprisonment can be granted. Omar's only permitted visitor is his wife, who may see him for only a half hour every thirty days.
This is the kind of cruelly retributive and deliberately intimidating treatment that cartoonists and other commentators are getting from authoritarian rulers around the world. And based on the comments of Trump and his team, it looks like we are sadly and shockingly on our way to this criminalization of opposition viewpoints here in the USA.
Cartoonists Rights is an organization that has been protecting the rights of editorial cartoonists under threat like Omar since 1999. You can support Cartoonists Rights' mission at this link; they are having a pledge drive starting on Tuesday, December 3.
Here are some of the cartoons that have landed Omar in jail in Egypt, along with translation/context provided by his Al-Manassa editor, as provided by Cartoonists Rights.
"Sudan Negotiations cartoon: A new round of negotiations between Sudanese Army and Rapid Support Forces."
"Selling State Assets Cartoon: Egypt forms a committee to sell state assets aiming to collect EGP25 billions annually. (This is probably the cartoon that upset the authorities the most, since the seller is portrayed as a thief, and the buyer is from the Gulf, noting that Egypt gave two islands in the red sea to Saudi Arabia, and sold Ras AlHikma on the mediterranean to UAE)"
"Power Shortage cartoon: Load Shedding Power Cuts — monorail (The summer heat in Egypt reached 45C while the authorities were systematically performing load shedding power cuts that would last for up to 3 hours, sometimes twice a day, and completely randomized – no clear schedule. People would get locked up in elevators, hospitals were affected, etc.. President Sisi invested heavily in building a monorail that cuts through the desert to connect Cairo and Giza to his baby project; The New Administrative Capital. The monorail construction is almost finished but the question remains how is it going to operate in light of the electricity shortage? how much will the ticket cost? in addition to accusing the president of wasting the countries cash reserve then seeking international loans)"
"Debt Crisis Cartoon: Fire is labelled Debt Crisis; Gas tank is labelled Loans; The man resembling president Sisi saying "Why isn't it being put out?" (Foreign debt increased during the last decade from 46 billion USD in 2014 to 165.3 billion USD in 2023, with a slight decrease in 2024 to 160.6 billion USD thanks to U.A.E exceptional rescue aid. In 2024, debt servicing alone accounted for nearly half of the country's export revenues)"
Omar's editor adds: "I think an important footnote is, at the moment, and because of the culture of fear, all cartoonists are exercising self censorship. Ashraf's cartoons were the most political and the most bold cartoons published over the past 10 years."
