Ahmed DOUMA
Photo Credit: Sara Rifky / Courtesy of Ahmed Douma
Poet, writer and activist Ahmed Douma continued to be judicially harassed by Egyptian authorities throughout 2025. In April 2025, Douma was charged with ‘disseminating false news inside and outside the country’ and released on EGP10,000 (approximately USD210) bail, in relation to his online posts. Similarly, in July, the SSSP charged him with ‘disseminating false news undermining state prestige’ under Article 80(d) and 102 bis of Egyptian Penal Code in relation to his commentaries on different issues, including deadly road traffic accidents, fees on humanitarian aid to Gaza, criticism of pro-government media figures, and for sharing a cover of the Arabic translation of Juan José Millás’ novel Tonto, muerto, bastardo e invisible. In September 2025, the SSSP charged Douma with ‘disseminating false news’ in a new case concerning a series of online posts about his experience in Egyptian prisons. Both times, he was later released on bail of EGP50,000 (approximately USD1055).
In December 2025, security officials at Cairo International Airport prevented Douma from boarding a flight to Lebanon, citing a previously undisclosed travel ban of which Douma was unaware. He had been unable to travel since his release from over a decade in arbitrary detention, due to the refusal of authorities to issue him with a new passport. Douma’s writings have also been banned (see Case Lists 2022-2025).
Ahmed Douma, born on 11 September 1985, is a poet, writer and activist known for highlighting the situation of detainees in Egypt. He wrote about his experiences, dreams, and aspirations during his prolonged imprisonment in his 2012 poetry collection صوتك طالع (Your voice is Heard). His second collection of poetry written in prison, كيرلي (Curly) was published in 2021.
Update
On Monday, 19 January 2026, Douma was detained overnight. The SSSP released him on bail of EGP100,000 (approximately USD2,120), on suspicion of ‘disseminating false news inside and outside the country’ in relation to his online posts about the alleged assault of imprisoned activist Mohamed Adel.