Mostafa Alnagar facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Mostafa Elnagar
|
|
|---|---|
 |
|
| Born | May 5, 1980 Cairo, Egypt
|
| Nationality | Egyptian |
| Alma mater | Cairo University |
| Occupation | activist, Dentist, politician |
Mostafa Elnagar (born May 5, 1980, in Cairo, Egypt) is an Egyptian activist, writer, and politician. He is known for speaking out against the government and for his strong interest in human rights, which are the basic rights and freedoms that belong to every person.
Contents
Mostafa Elnagar and the Egyptian Revolution
Mostafa Elnagar was an important figure in the Egyptian Revolution that started on January 25, 2011. This revolution was a time when many people in Egypt protested to demand changes from their government.
Mostafa Elnagar worked closely with another activist named Wael Ghonim to help start these protests. Ghonim managed a Facebook page called "We Are All Khaled Said." This page was created to support Khaled Said, a young Egyptian who died after being mistreated by the police.
On January 14, 2011, Ghonim asked people on the page if they would be willing to protest on January 25, similar to what happened in Tunisia. Soon after, he created an event for a "Revolution against Torture, Corruption, Unemployment, and Injustice" on that date. Mostafa Elnagar was the only person Ghonim told about being the page's administrator.
Education and Early Work
Mostafa Elnagar studied dentistry and earned his bachelor's degree from AlAzhar University. Later, he also studied mass communication at the American University in Cairo (AUC). Mass communication is about how information is shared with many people, like through news or social media.
He also worked as a researcher at AUC. His research involved studying social movements, which are large groups of people working together to bring about social or political change.
Early Political Work
Mostafa Elnagar's grandfather was involved in a group called the Muslim Brotherhood. Mostafa joined their youth group but decided to leave in 2005 because he felt his ideas no longer matched theirs.
Since 2007, Mostafa Elnagar has been very active in writing and sharing his thoughts online through blogs, especially about human rights. He also helped coordinate a group called the Arab Journalists and Bloggers Network for Human Rights.
He was arrested a few times for his activism. For example, he was arrested in 2003 for protesting against the Iraq war. In 2010, he was arrested after visiting families who had lost loved ones in a sad event outside a church. He and his friends were accused of causing trouble.
In 2009, he traveled to Gaza as a doctor to help people after a difficult situation there. He also reported on what was happening.
In 2010, he became a leader for a campaign led by Mohamed ElBaradei. This campaign brought together different groups who wanted democratic changes and fair elections in Egypt.
After the Revolution Started
Mostafa Elnagar strongly encouraged people to join the January 25, 2011, protests. Because of this, he was arrested for a fourth time on the night the revolution began, but he was released soon after.
He appeared on a TV show during the early days of the revolution to share what protesters were experiencing. He told a story about a young man named Ahmed who was killed by a bullet during the protests. As Ahmed was being taken to a hospital, he asked Mostafa, "Are we right?" Mostafa told him, "Yes, we are." Mostafa shared this story on TV, saying, "To Ahmed and to all the brave people who died, I am telling you now: we are on the right track, and we will win."
In June 2011, Mostafa helped start a political party called al-Adl Party. This party aimed to find a middle ground in Egypt's politics after the revolution, trying to bring together different ideas.
When the trial of former president Mubarak began in August 2011, Mostafa called it "a moment no Egyptian ever thought was possible." He felt it was a "real success for the revolution."
In November 2011, Mostafa ran for a seat in parliament. Many people thought he would not win against his opponent, who had a lot of support. However, Mostafa won by a large number of votes. He said there was a campaign against him during the elections, with some people questioning his faith. Mostafa continued to support democracy, human rights, and the rights of the Coptic Christian minority in Egypt.
Mostafa was the only member of the Al-Adl party to win a seat in parliament. However, in June 2012, Egypt's Supreme Court decided to dissolve the elected parliament, meaning it was shut down.
Awards
In 2010, Mostafa Elnagar received an honorary award from the United Nations Human Rights Council in Beirut. He won this award for his blog called Ana Ma`ahum (which means "I am with them").
Later Challenges
After the revolution, some activists, including Mostafa Elnagar, faced difficulties. There was a media campaign against him, where a journalist aired what were said to be leaked personal phone calls. These recordings were reportedly edited and taken out of context.
In December 2017, Mostafa Elnagar and 17 others were sentenced to three years in prison for "insulting the judiciary system." Mostafa Elnagar has been missing since September 28, 2018. Since his disappearance, government officials have not provided clear information about where he is.
See also
- Justice Party (Egypt)
