# Egyptian Writers Union head slams Islamist censorship on culture



## hhaddad (Apr 14, 2010)

Censorship in the movie industry worries writers, recalling the repression of the Mubarak years



The renowned Egyptian writer Mohamed Salmawy has slammed recent attempts to curb freedoms of expression and thought in Egypt.
In a statement released Thursday morning, Salmawy lambasted a recent decision by the Ministry of Religious Endowments to ban the filming of a scene in the Egyptian movie Mattress and Cover, because it "violated Sharia Law."
Salmawy also criticised a decision by the administration of the Pharmaceutical Faculty at Cairo University to ban the Iranian movie A Separation, after pressure from Islamist students.
Salmawy said that one of the reasons the Mubarak regime fell was its constant censorship on artistic work and that the Egyptian landscape should be able to reflect the creativity of all Egyptians. He added that Egyptian artists have the right to express themselves without any red lines, repression or monitoring.

Egyptian Writers Union head slams Islamist censorship on culture - Politics - Egypt - Ahram Online


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