A Victory for Freedom-lovers, A Defeat for Islamic Groups

El Saadawi Charges dismissed

On 30 July 2001, the Family court in North Cairo dismissed the charge against Nawal El Saadawi, the well-known writer and women’s rights activist. In the past four months there was a campaign launched against her by Islamic groups. As Islamist lawyer brought a case to court using legal means to forcibly divorce Saadawi from her husband on the basis of an Islamic ruling called Hizba. (The Islamic concept of Hizba ‘allows any Muslim to sue another for beliefs, which harm society.’)

This assault was an attempt to silence criticism and a continuation of what Islamic groups have done to the people, to the freedom and to the basic civil rights in the Middle East for more than two decades.

The court rejected the petition. An international campaign against the trial of Saadawi and other protests forced the Egyptian authorities and the Islamic groups to back down. This was a victory for free thought and freedom and a defeat for reactionary groups. This victory illustrated that Islamic reactionary forces are reaching a dead – end and even legal resources cannot help them; furthermore, it proves the significance and necessity of fighting against Islamic currents.

On behalf of “Campaign against the Trial of Nawal El Saadawi” I congratulate Nawal El Saadawi and all individuals and organisations that joined this campaign and made the victory possible.

Azam Kamguian

30/07/03