Shahira Amin

Shahira Amin is an award-winning journalist based in Cairo. Former deputy head of state-run Nile TV, she quit her job at the height of the 2011 uprising to protest censorship of her work. She has since worked as a freelance writer for Index on Censorship, Freemuse, CNN and various news websites and as a filmmaker producing documentaries for UN agencies. On Twitter: @sherryamin13

Egyptian rights advocates welcome fatwa forbidding short-term marriages

Women's rights campaigners are hoping a recent fatwa forbidding tahleel marriages will pave the way for a law criminalizing the archaic practice.

Shahira Amin | Egypt | Oct 15, 2021

Mannequins display wedding gowns designed by the al-Ashi family at their atelier in Gaza City on June 3, 2013.

Egyptians alarmed as government delists protected park

A government decision to cross out a public park from the country's heritage list has dismayed Egyptians, wary of the authorities' plans to develop the park.

Shahira Amin | Egypt | Oct 14, 2021

Sisi statements spark debate about status for Egyptian atheists

The Egyptian president's remarks on human rights have drawn attention to freedom of belief for the nonreligious.

Shahira Amin | Egypt | Sep 20, 2021

Egypt's President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi speaks during the Baghdad conference in the Iraqi capital on Aug. 28, 2021.

'Hymen reconstruction fatwa' stirs controversy in Egypt

A fatwa by a senior Muslim scholar permitting hymen repair in certain circumstances has sparked controversy on social media, with critics fearing it may encourage girls to engage in sex out of wedlock.

Shahira Amin | Egypt | Sep 6, 2021

Ragab Uwais poses for a picture with his bride before a video cameraman for their wedding video along Al-Gamaa Bridge connecting Cairo with its twin city of Giza, Egypt, June 11, 2020.

Egypt's president slices bread subsidies

A controversial decision by President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi to cut bread subsidies despite an earlier promise not to tamper with the price of subsidized loaves has raised concerns that this move may trigger a wave of unrest reminiscent of the bread riots of 1977.

Shahira Amin | Egypt | Aug 9, 2021

Dozens of Egyptians take part in a demonstration in front of a government office against the decision of the Supply Ministry to limit the distribution of subsidized bread to holders of a new system of digital cards issued by the ministry, downtown Alexandria, Egypt, March 7, 2017.

Actress' decision to quit stage draws fierce backlash from liberals

An Egyptian actress' decision to quit acting and don the hijab has stirred controversy in Egypt, highlighting the widening rift between ultraconservatives and liberals in society.

Shahira Amin | Egypt | Jul 24, 2021

Egyptian actresses Hala Shiha (L) and Mana Shalabi pose during the premiere screening of their new film "Uridu Kholaa" at a film theater, Cairo, Egypt, Nov. 2, 2005.

Egyptian Museum of Antiquities gets makeover to compete for tourists

The Egyptian Museum of Antiquities in downtown Cairo's Tahrir Square is undergoing a facelift that tourism officials and curators hope will allow it to compete with the Grand Egyptian Museum, soon to open its doors to visitors.

Shahira Amin | Culture | Jun 13, 2021

Why Egypt is lending its support to the Palestinians

Egypt's support for the Palestinians in the latest conflict — in which Cairo helped broker a cease-fire — has drawn attention among observers who see it as a policy shift.

Shahira Amin | Egypt | May 21, 2021

Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi speaks during a press conference with French President following their meeting at the Elysee presidential Palace on Dec. 7, 2020 in Paris, as part of al-Sisi's three-day controversial state visit to France, with activists warning Paris not to turn a blind eye to Cairo's rights record with a red carpet welcome.

Egypt steps up coronavirus vaccine campaign amid surge in cases

Amid a surge in coronavirus cases, the Egyptian government has stepped up its vaccination push, increasing the number of vaccination centers and the rollout to include workers in labor-intensive sectors.

Shahira Amin | Egypt | Apr 21, 2021

An Egyptian medical worker administers a dose of the AstraZeneca coronavirus vaccine on the first day of vaccination, Cairo, Egypt, March 4, 2021.

Curse or no curse, Cairo's mummy parade goes smoothly

Cairo's procession of royal mummies roused national pride among Egyptians, though observers warned that disturbing the dead may have unleashed the "curse of the pharaohs."

Shahira Amin | Egypt | Apr 5, 2021

Shahira Amin

Egyptian rights advocates welcome fatwa forbidding short-term marriages

Egyptians alarmed as government delists protected park

Sisi statements spark debate about status for Egyptian atheists

'Hymen reconstruction fatwa' stirs controversy in Egypt

Egypt's president slices bread subsidies

Actress' decision to quit stage draws fierce backlash from liberals

Egyptian Museum of Antiquities gets makeover to compete for tourists

Why Egypt is lending its support to the Palestinians

Egypt steps up coronavirus vaccine campaign amid surge in cases

Curse or no curse, Cairo's mummy parade goes smoothly

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