Shawkan Photo Awards for 2015 : Egypt's best photo for 2015 "Graphic"

A group of Egypt's most famous and talented photographers in Egypt decided to launch an annual photojournalism competition in Egypt to choose the best news photo for the year.

That group of photographers decided to name that competition after detained Freelance photographer Mahmoud Abu Zeid aka Shawkan and so we have in Egypt now Shawkan Photo Awards.

The judges for this year's Shawkan Photo awards were:

1. Hossam Diab: The former head of photography section in Al-Masry Al-Youm and former head of photographers section in the Egyptian journalists syndicate.
2. Khaled Douski: The head of photography section in AFP Egypt office.
3. Magdy Ibrahim: The head of the photography section in Al-Shorouk.
4. Mosa'ab El-Shamy: A photographer in AP Cairo office.  
5. Eman Helal: A freelancer photographer.

Here are the judges in a nice photo. 

Those judges chose the ten most impressive photos for the year and from those photos they chose the top five including the 2015 Photo. 

From left to right: El-Shamy, Douski, Diab, Ibrahim, Helal

When I look to those photos, I see some of the most important events in 2015.

Here I will share the top five photos descendingly

5- The killing of a Pro-Morsi protester during the Eid in 2015 in Giza by Belal Wagdy

The killing of a protester by Belal Wagdy

4- The breakdown of late lieutenant-colonel Mostafa Al-Wateedy's wife during his funeral after he was killed in a terrorist attack by Al-Sayid Al-Baz in July 2015.

The breakdown of a widow by Al-Sayid Al-Baz

4- The tears of Esraa El-Taweel in court by Sameh Abo Hassan

Read more about it here            

The tears of Esraa by Sameh Abo Hasan

December 30, 2015 at 01:16AM

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Regarding Islam El-Behairy and his sentence

Late Monday, we found out that TV host and Islamic researcher Islam El-Behairy was sent to jail after a court reduced an early 5 years jail sentence to one year over charges of "contempt of religion" because of his suspended TV show on Pro-regime TV channel Al-Qehara wal Nas.
I do not know how he was sentenced or how his sentence was reduced when in a similar case in June he was acquitted from blasphemy.
Now Islam will be in jail at least for three months till his lawyer can appeal and the appeal is accepted.
Following the court's new reduced sentence, the TV host slammed what happened to him and described Egypt as "the land of injustice"

December 29, 2015 at 12:24AM

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Watch this : Batoul's Khartoum Restaurant in Cairo

Watch this short report about Cairo's Khartoum Sudanese restaurant in the heart of the Egyptian busy capital.
Khartoum restaurant is said to be the first Sudanese restaurant in Cairo that was inaugurated in 1986 by a Sudanese couple that fled South Sudan.
The video report is produced by Qoll website, it is very interesting and with English subtitles.
Here is the Arabic report by Sally about the restaurant which has become a very popular place for Sudanese in the crowded Cairo.

Qoll TV : Batoul's Sudanese restaurant

What I love about this report is showing how Mrs. Batoul continued to operate the restaurant after her husband Sala Bashir successfuly. Also how it is not only a restaurant but it turned out to become a part of hotel or hostel for the Sudanese in Cairo.

Seen in the Egyptian Museum of Cairo : Some Pharaoh's statue

Seen in the Egyptian Museum of Cairo: An ancient Egyptian pharaoh 's statue at the Egyptian Museum 's garden in Cairo. 

700 days and counting for Mahmoud Mohamed

On Saturday, student and political Mahmoud Mohamed completed his 700th day in detention anniversary of 25 January revolution in 2014.
pending investigation after his arrest by security forces during the third
According to his family and Egyptian political as well human rights activists, he was arrested because he was wearing a t-shirt that says "A nation without torture".
The ministry of interior says that he was arrested among others while they were attempting to riot.
Mahmoud Mohamed says that he was tortured during the first days of his arrest.
Here is a video in Arabic with English subtitles about the boy who has completed 700th days in detention pending investigation where Egyptian politicians and activists demand the release of Mahmoud.

The last Supermoon in #2015

In a very rare occasion, we had a Supermoon with Christmas and it was amazing. I read that it does not happen except ever thre decades so I guess we were lucky.

The last supermoon in 2015 

This is the last supermoon in 2015.

And the first supermoon during Christmas in 3 decades

I took those couple of photos in my house in Giza.

Seen in Egyptian Museum of Cairo : Sarcophagi in the sun

Sarcophagi in the sun 

Seen at the Egyptian Museum of Cairo: A bunch of sarcophagi left outside the museum at the exit in the sun. Some say that ancient Pharaoh's Sarcophagus is among them !!!

Meet Egypt's unique Moulid Christmas tree

Meet Egypt's unique Moulid Christmas tree, the latest addition to the unique Tahrir square thanks to Nile Ritz Carlton.
I do not think that in any place in the world that got that shape to celebrate both
Prophet Mohamed "PUBH" and Jesus' birthday anniversary in that unique way. Combining the Egyptian Moulid traditions with the Western Christmas traditions was more than fantastic.

In the heart of Tahrir square 

with flickering lights at night , the tree is attracting many people 

Already this tree or shape symbolizing the Christmas tree got on the top of it the famous shape of the sweet Moulid doll. 
It looks amazing at night with all the lights in the heart of Tahrir square.

And here is how some Egyptians celebrated the Moulid in 2015

And this how some Egyptian celebrated the Moulid in 2015.
The Sufi orders from different governorates organized processions at Al-Hussein Mosque area celebrating the birth of Prophet Mohamed "PUBH", his grandfather.
Here are videos from the celebrations earlier Wednesday
From Ahram Online

mulid el nabi traditional march to El-Hussien mosque
Mulid el Nabi sufi march today from el gaafari mosque to al hussien
Posted by Ahram Online: Folk section on Wednesday, December 23, 2015

Photographer Roger Anis also took couple of news photos from the Sufi orders parade

Seen at the Egyptian Museum of Cairo : The remains of Queen Hatshesput's statue

Seen at the Egyptian Museum of Cairo: A part of ancient Egyptian Queen Hatshepsut statue from the Modern Kingdom era in ancient Egypt at the Egyptian Museum of Cairo. 

Merry Mawlid 1437-2015

Happy Mawlid Nabawy to all Muslim around the globe.
Today , Muslims celebrate the anniversary of Prophet Mohamed's"PBUH" birth aka El-Mawlid. 
Also just after 24 hours , Christians around the globe will celebrate Christmas , so it is a double celebration.
So Happy Mawlid Nabawy and Merry Christmas to everybody.
Today is a National Holiday in Egypt.

Mickey Mouse celebrating the Mawlid in 1960s Egypt 

Egyptians are now celebrating the Mawlid eating delicious sugary sweets.
Today Many Muslims online are celebrating Prophet Mohamed "PBUH" birth by sharing Sufi songs and Nasheed praising the prophet.
Here is an Arabic praise for the Prophet, it is actually a prayer calling God to praise Prophet Mohamed.

Seen at the Egyptian Museum of Cairo : King Akhenaton's colored coffin

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Seen at the Egyptian Museum of Cairo: The coffin of controversial ancient Egyptian King Akhenaton at the Egyptian Museum of Cairo.

Yes, this is widely believed to be the wooden coffin of the man that made a shortlived social, political and religious revolution the ancient world had not seen anything like before him in the recorded history. 

There is a lot to be said and discussed concerning the 18th dynasty controversial historical figure whom some believed from the early monotheists in the ancient world but let's focus here on what was believed to be his coffin at his section in the Egyptian Museum of Cairo. 

Here is a closer look for the coffin allegedly found in Luxor's Valley of the King in 1907 at KV55

A wider look than the Instagram shot :) 

The coffin was found desecrated with the golden funerary mask and cartouche destroyed. Someone did not want his soul to rest in its final journey to Aten. 

Don't Forget Aya Hegazy and her team in prison

When Aya Hegazy and her husband, Mohamed Hassanein started their project to help their community in their country Egypt in 2013, they had no idea about what was waiting for them a year later.
The George Mason University graduate, Egyptian-American Aya Hegazy along her Egyptian husband Hassanein came back to Egypt after the 25 January revolution with hopes that she could help her community using her knowledge.
In September 2013, she and Hassanein started to operate their NGO "Belady Foundation" to provide shelter for the street children in Downtown Cairo away.
The NGO aimed not only to provide a safe shelter but to rescue those kids by developing their skills and protecting them from sexual abuse.

Aya Hegazy and three boys she used to help
at Belady Foundation "Facebook page" 

The NGO was starting to work successfully.
It was still "under establishment" according to the law which means it was operating pending the approval of the ministry of social solidarity.
Then things went from bad to worse to worst in May 2014 when a couple of street children who used to come to Belady foundation for a shelter were arrested near a Pro-Morsi protest.

December 21, 2015 at 02:43AM

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And Esraa El-Taweel is released pending investigation "Updated"

And the court ordered the release of Freelance photojournalist Esraa El-Taweel pending investigation on parole on Saturday.

The judge ordered her release for health reasons as she needs medical care.

Esraa hugging her sister as she is released
pending investigation early Sunday. Her lawyer
Mohamed E-Bakkar is seen on the right
"Abdullah El-Shamy" 

According to her lawyer, she will be staying at home and won't leave it except after the police's approval for medical treatment.

I do not know if it is a sort of house arrest or parole to be honest. Yet I know at last she will return back to her home and her family as well her cat woody.

Yes after many months of detention including weeks in a forcible disappearance state, the young cheerful photographer who loves life is returning to her home even if that return is pending investigation. It is much better than staying in the cold prison.
Esraa needs immediate therapy to restore her ability to walk normally once again.

I am happy for Esraa because her release came after a huge campaign against her in the media following the spread of her photos crying in court.

December 19, 2015 at 02:01PM

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December 19, 2015 at 01:24PM

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And UK reviewed the Muslim Brotherhood

On Thursday, the British government released its final review about the Muslim Brotherhood and its connections to terrorism in London creating a buzz in Cairo.
The review concluded that that the membership of , association with, or influence by the 73 years old Islamist Political group should be considered as a possible indicator of extremism.

El-Sisi and Cameron in London in November "EPA" 

The review did not conclude that the group was a terrorist group that should be banned as Cairo and other capitals in the Middle East hoped not-so-surprisingly.
The review also concluded that the British govenrment would “intensify scrutiny of the views and activists of the Muslim Brotherhood , associates and afilitates whether based in the UK or elsewhere promote overseas.”
PM David Cameron issued a statement regarding the review he commissioned in 2014 where he announced the following regarding the MB :
The visas will be denied to the Members and associates of the Brotherhood with radical viewls.
The chairties linked to the Brotherhood will be monitored to see what they finance.
To enforce the EU asset freeze on Hamas.
In nutshell, the Brotherhood and its affiliated groups and organizations will be monitored officially closely. Already I am not surprised because this is expected with what is going with Islamist movements in Europe.

December 18, 2015 at 12:05AM

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Can we expect Justice from that man !!??

Famous judge Nagy Shehata made wild headlines in the media earlier this week with his controversial extremely politicalized views as  well his reactions following that interview.
The story began on Saturday when Pro-regime Al-Watan Daily newspaper published an interview with Judge Nagy Shehata.
Shehata who earned notorious fame as the Judge of Al-Jazeera staff trial got very interesting views like:

• He hates TV hosts like Mona El-Shazly and Sherif Amar because they are Mohamed ElBaradei supporters and he hates him. His reasoning is that both TV hosts had the former vice-president in their shows especially El-Shazly. Mona El-Shazly also hosted that boy aka Wael Ghonim in

  

  Judge Shehata in action by Hussein Talaal 

  her show during the 18 days.
• He hates 25 January revolution so much to the level of calling it “25 Losses” that destroyed the Egyptian morals. He also called it a dirty revolution.
• He hates 6 April Youth group and calls 6 “Satan”
• He hates TV host Tamer Amin because he preaches people to behave when he sees him all the time in bars in Zamalek and Downtown Cairo. “So the respectable judge goes to bars !?”
• He likes Pro-regime TV hosts Ahmed Mousa and Tawfik Okasha.
• The high elections committee “HEC” did not give his reward for supervising the elections in Giza
• He was called the military dog because he was a former army officer. “ Actually, I did not know that he was called that name nor he was an army officer”

As his interview began to go viral online creating a wave of anger among young people as it exposed him more and more as a biased person that should not be a judge, Shehata denied that had an interview in the first place.
He accused Al-Watan newspaper and its journalist of fabricating the interview. And so the newspaper had to defend itself. It published photos showing the journalist allegedly at Shehata’s house interviewing him.
The newspapers also released online parts of his interview as recorded audio. You do not mess with journalists those days.

December 17, 2015 at 12:09AM

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An Islamic Sunni Military coalition.. What, When, How !?

Late last Monday, at about 1 am Cairo Local time news hit the wire that Egypt suddenly joined a Saudi-led Islamic Sunni military coalition along other 33 Islamic countries against terrorism.
It was a sudden announcement for real at the Mid of the night for real, at least for the public in those 33 countries aside from Saudi Arabia.
Now since the Saudi Deputy Crown’s announcement, there are several questions in my mind.   

1. Does this military coalition have to do with John McCain and Lindsey Graham’s suggestion to have 100,000-strong ground forces from Sunni countries like Turkey and Egypt to fight Daesh in Syria and Iraq !?
2. This is Islamic military coalition is a bit sectarian for me as it is “Sunni Islamic military coalition”. Aside from the Saudi-Iranian rivalry, this can enforce radicalism in Islamic countries but enforcing the notion that Shiites are not Muslims..etc. The Shiites are also from the victims of terrorism whether in Iraq or Saudi Arabia.
3. What is the position of Syria and Iraq from that “Sunni Islamic military coalition”? Iran is an ally to both sectarian regimes in both countries. Daesh is mainly based in both countries.
4. What is the position of Al-Qaeda from that military coalition !? Al-Qaeda is a terrorist organization in most countries, but recently it fought along the Saudi-led military coalition in Yemen against both Houthis and Daesh !??
5. What is this mechanism of such coalition in the first place !? Aside that it is Saudi-led and it is Sunni club based in Riyadh as it seems, how things are going to be !? Are we going to have ground forces or air forces strikes against terrorist organizations whatever they are and where ever they are !?

December 16, 2015 at 12:10AM

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December 15, 2015 at 01:04AM

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Please treat them like Ouda Tarabin !!

Egypt has at last extradited Israeli Bedouin Ouda Tarabin who was arrested in 2000 and convicted of spying to Israel in exchange of at Egyptian prisoners in Israeli prisons last week.
Early Thursday suddenly with no introductions, we found out that the Egyptian administration decided to exchange Tarabin with two Egyptian prisoners and in no time, the Bedouin who is shunned by Tarabin tribe in Sinai is received in Tel Aviv by Israeli Prime Netanyahu.

Ouda Tarabin with Bibi in Tel Avivi "Chaim Tzach"

We do not know much about the Egyptian prisoners.
According to the Israeli press, they are six Egyptian prisoners and according to the Egyptian press they are involved in drug smuggling cases. Three of those Egyptian prisoners have finished their sentences.
Tarabin also finished his sentence as he was sentenced 15 years in jail in 2000.
The Israeli media also revealed that Israel agreed to give Egypt 2 percent from a joint industrial zone aka “Qualifying Industrial Zone-QIZ” as part of the deal for the release of Tarabin. The Israeli media speaks about millions of dollars according to this deal.
Israeli PM says that the 34 years old Bedouin who was arrested in Al-Arish in 2000 was not a spy to Israel. Ouda Tarabin has been denying all the charges against saying that when he was arrested, he was only visited his sister who is married and living in North Sinai.
Ouda’s father was wanted to the Egyptian authorities as well. The father who left North Sinai and moved to Israel is accused of being a spy to the Israeli forces during the Israeli occupation years in Sinai.
Now Despite he told the media following his release in Israel that his prison cell was like a tomb,Tarabin later described how he was allegedly treated not so bad like other Egyptian detainees and prisoners.

December 14, 2015 at 12:03AM

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December 13, 2015 at 04:10PM

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Another round of talks about GERD reaches to nothing !! Be worried , very worried

On Saturday, a new round of talks between Egypt, Ethiopia and Sudan about the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam “GERD” concluded in Khartoum without anything new.
The talks were attended by the three countries ministers of foreign affairs and irrigation as well technical experts.It failed in the two days in two days of trilateral talks to reach a final agreement.

A new round of talks will be held next 27-28 December. It does not look good.The tenth round of talks was held in Khartoum at a very critical time when we seem to have rocky relations with the current Sudanese regime already.
Ethiopia does not want to stop or slow down the construction of its Dam.According to Press reports, 45% of that huge dam is finished.

The Grand Ethiopian Renassiance Dam under construction  "Reuters"

The Ethiopians officials say that Egypt should not be worried about the dam and that it would not affect Egypt’s Nile water’s share.

On the other hand, the Egyptian experts say that Ethiopia fooled us and some even blame the current Egyptian administration for giving up Egypt’s rights after signing the GERD’s Declaration of principles in March. People who are concerned with the water’s share are worried and the Egyptian officials do not know the meaning of transparency.

We need honest answers because we are speaking about a true national security matter here.
BY the way according to Middle East Monitor, Egypt asked UAE to intervene directly over that dispute about GERD. UAE is one of the major investors in Ethiopia along Saudi Arabia according to my knowledge.

Unfortunately, the Egyptian mainstream media did not care that much for the talks compared to what Egypt’s minister of foreign did at the meeting praising him as a national hero.

Regarding that 50,000 LE marriage decree thing

On Tuesday, Egypt’s minister of justice Ahmed El-Zend was the talk of the town after issuing a decree that obliges foreigners who want to marry Egyptian women to present investment certificates worth LE 50,000 in the wife’s bank account if the age difference between the two “exceeds 25 years”.

Minister of Justice Ahmed El-Zend 

This decree targets specifically the underage marriages between Egyptian poor girls and wealthy Gulf men. It is common in summer and unfortunately, it has been spread for years if not decades especially rural areas. It is like an ugly sex trade that spread due to poverty.

Now realistically speaking, this decree won’t prevent or slow down the marriage of underage poor Egyptian girls and old Gulf men in the real world.

The LE 50,000 are equal to  USD 6,395 for God’s sake. Any wealthy man can afford this sum of money especially with dying situation of the Egyptian pound.

Many of those marriages between old Gulf men and underage Egyptian brides from the countryside are Urfi marriages or unregistered marriages.
They do not go to Mogammu El-Tahrir to get married as the law says because after all it is temporarily marriage.

December 11, 2015 at 04:38PM

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December 10, 2015 at 05:24PM

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December 10, 2015 at 05:10PM

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Seen at the Egyptian Museum of Cairo : Sarcophagi section

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The sarcophagi section at the Egyptian Museum of Cairo 

December 10, 2015 at 05:00PM

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Seen at the Egyptian Museum of Cairo : Granite Sarcophagus

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Seen at the Egyptian Museum of Cairo: A sarcophagus made of granite at the first floor of the Museum.

Seen at the Egyptian Museum of Cairo : Part of old temple

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Seen at the Egyptian Museum of Cairo : Parts of an old ancient Egyptian temple "I suppose" 

Seen at the Egyptian Museum of Cairo : A king's Statue

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Seen at the Egyptian Museum of Cairo: An ancient Egyptian king's statue, most probably a statue for Ramses II.

Here is another photo that was taken on the same day for the statue.

Journalists in Cairo say that they are going treat and release their detained colleagues

The Freedoms committee in Egypt’s Journalists syndicate in Cairo launched a campaign earlier this week and it is called “We are going to treat them and set them free...Journalism is not crime” in order to release 32 journalists currently imprisoned and detained  in Egypt.

On Wednesday, the committee organized its first stand at the famous journalists syndicate's staircase demanding the release of those 32 journalists including Photographer Mahmoud Abou Zeid “Shawkan”.

The stand at the Journalists syndicate in Cairo by Amira Howaidy 

The stand at the Journalists syndicate in Cairo
" Freedom of Shawkan FB"

Mahmoud Abou Zeid “Shawkan”, the freelance photographer has been detained for more than 800 days now. After few days, he will stand in front of a court at last.

The photos of Shawkan dominated the stand
"Momen Samir" 

And we do have a diplomatic crisis with Sudan after all !!

Do you remember when people start to feel that there was something wrong with our relation with Sudan lately ? Do you remember that incident of that Sudanese citizen who was tortured in a Cairo police station and his case caused a crisis between Egypt and Sudan from couple of weeks ago ? During then , some people in Cairo said that there was no crisis in Egypt and Sudan adding that the Muslim Brotherhood was behind those rumors of crisis !!
Well it turned out that this crisis was actually the tip of an ice-berg or rather the start of a bigger crisis. Remember how I hinted out that the Sudanese media was unexpectedly highlighting it and that there was something going. Well, here it is crystal clear.
On 5 December in a special interview from Dubai on Al-Arabiya News channel , Sudanese President Omar El-Bashir said that Hala’ib triangle was a Sudanese territory and that Egypt occupied it in 1995 adding that it was a main issue between the two countries.

Omar El-Bashir : Hala’ib was occupied by Egypt in 1995

He also revealed that Sudan presented a complaint to the UN security council against Egypt for holding parliamentary elections in Hala’ib triangle. BY the Egypt is officially a member of the UN security council in its current term.
Also Hala’ib tribes have been participating in both Egyptian and Sudanese elections for a long time. Most Egyptian and Sudanese people ignore that fact thanks to the media.    

Seen in Cairo : Setting up a billboard

Seen in Cairo : setting up a huge billboard near Ramses Hilton at night. 

Watch out For Sotheby’s NY Those days , part of our History is sold there.

In the upcoming days, Sotheby’s in New York is going to put up for an auction a collection of ancient Egyptian artifacts, heritage activists back in Cairo believe that they were taken out of the country illegally.
On 8 December, Sobthey’s will present what it described as “a sale almost exclusively dedicated to ancient Egyptian sculpture and works of art, the first auction of its kind in recent memory.”
Unfortunately, I only knew about it now thanks to heritage activist Sally Soliman. 
The Egyptian Press spoke about as I searched online since November and yet the ministry of antiquities and our embassy in the States did nothing as far as about that auction.
That sale or auction includes ancient Egyptian statues, busts and pieces believed by heritage activists to be taken out of the country illegally.
Needless to say, I found a fragment from Karnak temple up for sale in that auction. I do not think that Egypt sold pieces of Karnak Temples complex before legally.

The fragment from Karnak Complex temple
Estimated price between $ 2000 to $5000
"Sotheby's" 

A Large Egyptian Wood Mummy Mask,
25th/early 26th Dynasty, circa 750-600 B.C.
Price estimated between $ 300,000 to 500,000
" Sotheby's"