Memoirs of a Political Detainee in Egypt - Part Three

Diaries of a Political Detainee in Egypt. (3)

The interrogation at State Security didn’t last more than 45 minutes. It seemed the investigator concluded that I wasn’t a threat to national security and saw no need to keep me there. A soldier came to escort me back to the van. We drove for a while, and they removed the blindfold from my eyes. For a moment, I thought they were kind enough to take me home. But then I realized they were taking me to the Giza Prosecution in October City.

We arrived, went inside, and found the prosecutor preparing to leave. The guards were getting ready to go home, as it was the holiday. My arrival delayed their plans, and I was taken to a young prosecutor, likely in his thirties. He was polite and courteous, and most importantly, his office was air-conditioned. He offered me a seat, handed me a cigarette, and asked, "What would you like to drink?"

I requested black coffee, and he placed a pack of Marlboro cigarettes in front of me. Being a heavy smoker, I appreciated the gesture. He began to chat casually, showcasing his cultural sophistication, which was precisely what I needed—a prosecutor who understood what I was saying.

But I quickly noticed he was trying to lure me into revealing something. What he and others didn’t realize was that I had nothing to hide. I don’t deny that my sins, mistakes, and transgressions are as vast as mountains. But even when I err, I do so with integrity. I have nothing to fear being exposed, so I spoke freely, as much as he wanted.

He asked about my relationships with four intellectuals: Naguib Mahfouz, Imam Abdel Fattah, Tarek Heggy, and Sayed El-Qemny. I explained how I knew them and our connections. He tried to impress me with his own intellectual credentials, mentioning that he reads Dr. Mustafa Mahmoud. I didn’t comment, knowing if I said I despise Mustafa Mahmoud and his readers, he’d take offense.

Then he made a crass remark about the four intellectuals: "Of course, they’re atheists, right?"

I replied, "Actually, they worship a God that’s a bit different from the mainstream—a God of unparalleled greatness, genius, and creativity. They worship universal brilliance, no matter its source."

He didn’t get it and simply said, "So, they’re atheists?"

- "Ok!" I replied.

The conversation extended into discussions of history, religion, and politics. I shared my thoughts, and he diligently documented everything. The clerk, a kind and respectful Christian, was courteous. The prosecutor himself was generous, providing me with endless rounds of tea, coffee, sodas, juices, and water. When no restaurants were open due to the holiday, he ordered pastries, chips, chocolate, and biscuits for me. He even let me use his private bathroom. When I finished the Marlboro pack, he sent someone to get another. Honestly, I must’ve cost him a small fortune that day.

The interrogation lasted 12 straight hours, from noon until nearly midnight. He seemed particularly interested in a YouTube video I had made titled: "The Noblest of God’s Creation... Why?" The video wasn’t atheistic or blasphemous. In it, I simply asked why God had given the Prophet Muhammad the title of the noblest of creation. I clarified that I wasn’t denying the title—God forbid. I was merely contemplating the qualifications for such a position so we could raise our children to embody those qualities.

In the video, I even stated, "I am truly a Sufi believer, a lover of the divine essence, and I despise atheism and atheists." You could say it’s the kind of video that Sheikh Shaarawy or Bin Baz might endorse. Yet they saw it as atheistic without justification.

However, their main focus was my fierce criticism of Sisi back in 2017, following the sale of Tiran and Sanafir. As a farmer, I view land as honor, and selling it to outsiders is an unforgivable betrayal. I was further provoked by the sight of Egyptians dancing in the streets and a woman dismissively saying, "So what? Let them take Tiran and Sanafir. We’ll even give them the Sphinx and his wife!"

The most disgraceful moment was when the Saudi flag was raised in Parliament, with MPs applauding Saudi Arabia’s claim to the Egyptian islands. We became the first nation in history to celebrate the loss of its land. That’s when I attacked Sisi with all the contempt my vocabulary could muster, especially since I had dived in Tiran and held fond memories of it.

If you must prosecute me, then let it be for defending my land and honor, not for vague charges. I confessed to everything the prosecutor confronted me with because, if I had thought I was wrong, I wouldn’t have written or said it.

I love Egypt deeply but strongly oppose the president’s decision to sell Tiran and Sanafir to the Bedouins—a stance supported by the Supreme Constitutional Court. I also oppose the state’s handling of the Ethiopian dam crisis. Beyond that, I support the president and stand firmly against the Brotherhood, Salafists, and neo-Ottomans.

In terms of religion, I am a Sufi, enamored with the divine essence in all its manifestations: the poeticism of Meccan Quranic verses, the beauty of the Sermon on the Mount, the spirituality of monks in midnight prayers—anywhere I can find God. I detest atheism and atheists, viewing them as shallow and pretentious.

My ideological enemies are many: those who take bribes to support a faction, those who accept foreign funding to harm the nation’s interests, those who say one thing in private and another in public, and those who promote ideologies against dignity, manhood, and honor. In essence, my enemies are enemies of the nation, not personal adversaries.

The interrogation concluded, and the prosecutor left the room to make a phone call. When he returned, he said, "I’m afraid I’ll have to detain you for four days pending investigation".

I signed the report without reading it and was escorted back to the van, heading to the Giza Police Station..

To be continued..