A Glimpse into Life at Tora Maximum Security Prison
Shortly after my arrival at Tora Maximum Security Prison in Cairo, a fellow inmate with a stylish haircut and glasses slipped into my cell. He handed me a plastic bag and whispered, “From Alaa.” Inside the bag were several packs of cigarettes—the unofficial currency of the prison—alongside blue and white T-shirts, the only colors permitted for prisoners to wear, as well as small plastic packets of tea and sugar.
It was February 2016, and I found myself entangled in a harsh reality after being arrested and sentenced to two years in prison for penning a novel deemed obscene by the authorities. This thoughtful welcome package was a generous gift from my dear friend Alaa Abd El Fattah, a dedicated activist and political prisoner who was then entering his second year in Tora prison. Tragically, he remains incarcerated to this day.
Alaa was originally slated for release in September. His first arrest occurred in 2013 during a protest against the regime of Abdel Fattah el-Sisi, leading to a five-year sentence. However, in 2019, he was again apprehended on charges of “spreading false news undermining national security,” resulting in another five-year prison term. That sentence was supposed to conclude in September, but the Egyptian government arbitrarily extended it by an additional two years.
My friend’s plight serves as a glaring reminder of the escalating lawlessness in Egypt under President Sisi, who has methodically dismantled state institutions since seizing power in 2014. These institutions had previously acted as a bulwark against total chaos in 2011, following the ousting of President Hosni Mubarak. Today, faith in every foundational aspect of society—including the military and the judiciary—has significantly eroded. At times, it feels as though these entities serve merely as decorative facades.
I first met Alaa in 2005 during Egypt’s inaugural presidential election. In the backdrop, American troops had recently occupied Iraq, and the administration of President George W. Bush maintained a close alliance with Egypt’s long-standing ruler, Mr. Mubarak, largely due to robust security cooperation and approximately $1.5 billion in annual military aid. President Bush aimed to reshape the Middle East, ostensibly promoting democracy, reform, and freedom. Under U.S. pressure, several Arab allies, including Egypt and Saudi Arabia, were compelled to make superficial democratic gestures, such as staged elections.
The 2005 Egyptian election was nothing short of a theatrical performance. Mr. Mubarak had held power for 24 years, and everyone acted as though it were a legitimate contest, despite the outcome being predetermined. At the time, I was 20, while Alaa was 23; we often discussed how absurd it was that Egypt’s Western backers were pretending the emperor was clothed when, in reality, he stood stark naked.
