Author: Patrick Keddie

Egypt

Hidden hell: The growing crisis of female drug addiction in Egypt

On her wedding night 13 years ago, Wafaa found her husband injecting ayoun – a cheap powder-mix found in Egypt that gives users a heroin-like hit. “It’s just something fun,” he told her. Wafaa had already taken other drugs and pestered him to let her try it. He refused at first but later relented. She began taking it with him, and then going with him … Continue reading Hidden hell: The growing crisis of female drug addiction in Egypt

Unknown's avatarPatrick KeddieLeave a comment
Egypt

Sunset in the black hole: 500 days in prison

CAIRO: “I have been kidnapped and imprisoned, for almost sixteen months now. 500 days in prison, without committing any crime. My family are unable to negotiate my release. I am an innocent man.” This is how an open letter from 27-year-old Egyptian photojournalist, Mahmoud Abou Zeid – also known as “Shawkan” – begins. Shawkan was arrested on 14 August 2013, whilst photographing the forced clearance … Continue reading Sunset in the black hole: 500 days in prison

Unknown's avatarPatrick Keddie1 Comment
Egypt

Unprotected: Refugees attacked with machetes in Egypt

6th OF OCTOBER CITY, EGYPT – Blood was spattered across the floor of the café and on the walls of the kitchen counter. In the corner were smashed sheesha pipes. A computer monitor lay crumpled on a desk. It was the aftermath of a brutal attack that the café owner described as “like something out of an action film”. Late on 23 November, around 10 … Continue reading Unprotected: Refugees attacked with machetes in Egypt

Unknown's avatarPatrick KeddieLeave a comment
Egypt, Football

Blood Sport: The Ultras White Knights vs. Mortada Mansour

LATE AT NIGHT, waiting as instructed by the Opera House on the island of Zamalek, my phone rings. “You know the lions by the bridge? Meet us there.” I go to the statues standing sentry at the bridge over the Nile, then another call comes in. “You are by the lions? Good. Come onto the bridge, we’ll pick you up.” I wander onto Qasr al-Nil. … Continue reading Blood Sport: The Ultras White Knights vs. Mortada Mansour

Unknown's avatarPatrick KeddieLeave a comment
Egypt, Football

‘Ultras’ fuel Egypt’s campus protests

Protests continued on university campuses across Egypt following the court verdict that cleared ousted President Hosni Mubarak of charges of killing protesters during the January 25 uprising. The protesters comprise a broad mix of Islamists, liberals, leftists, independents and other non-affiliated students. The scale of protests prompted state-owned news website Al-Ahram to describe it as Egypt witnessing “a university uprising”.  But it was one group of activists … Continue reading ‘Ultras’ fuel Egypt’s campus protests

Unknown's avatarPatrick KeddieLeave a comment
Egypt, Photography, Uncategorized

Blackout: Independent Journalism in Egypt Today, and the Case of Mahmoud Abu Zeid

JAMMES AND SHAWKAN were in trouble. A police officer was standing on Jammes’s toes and a line of police trucks had arrived. The officer stared into Jammes’s face for several minutes. He slapped him when he tried to speak. Jammes was advised to keep looking down at his feet, half obscured by the officer’s boots. His friend Shawkan, just behind him, endured the same treatment. … Continue reading Blackout: Independent Journalism in Egypt Today, and the Case of Mahmoud Abu Zeid

Unknown's avatarPatrick KeddieLeave a comment
Football, Uncategorized

The Lebanese Landmine Survivors’ Football Team

At first glance there is nothing remarkable about the football team warming up and firing balls towards the goal. After a while there are cries of “yalla, yalla;” two teams assemble and kick-off a practice match. At one point the ball breaks to Mohamed Ali El-Haj and he finds himself one-on-one with the goalkeeper. El-Haj tries to fire off a shot, but the ball is … Continue reading The Lebanese Landmine Survivors’ Football Team

Unknown's avatarPatrick KeddieLeave a comment
Uncategorized

Beaten & begging: all India’s parties ignore the “untouchable” widows

  Last December, the non-governmental organisation (NGO) Maitri India found 95-year-old widow Kanchan Dal living and begging on the streets of Radhakund, a small village a few kilometres outside of Vrindavan. Now she is sitting on her bed in Maitri’s recently constructed emergency shelter. Stick-like limbs poke out of her sari at various angles and her right eye is covered by a cloudy cataract. She says she … Continue reading Beaten & begging: all India’s parties ignore the “untouchable” widows

Unknown's avatarPatrick KeddieLeave a comment
Uncategorized

An unlikely partnership: Vrindavan’s widows and a New York fashion designer

Vrindavan, just over 100 miles south of Delhi, exudes the chaos and filth that afflicts many small Indian towns; cows ambling amid noisy traffic, animals rooting through rubbish, and the insistent smell of sewage from the open drains that line the roads. However, it is also regarded as a holy city; where the deity Krishna spent his childhood, according to Hindu scripture. Thousands of destitute … Continue reading An unlikely partnership: Vrindavan’s widows and a New York fashion designer

Unknown's avatarPatrick KeddieLeave a comment
Environment

Living alongside leopards in Mumbai

A curious night-time incident between a dog and a leopard was captured on CCTV in the Mumbai suburb of Goregaon earlier this year. Footage was released on Youtube and Indian newspapers printed grainy snapshots of a dog chasing a leopard out of a housing complex. The dog, a stray, soon became a hero among the building’s residents. “We have three stray dogs in the building … Continue reading Living alongside leopards in Mumbai

Unknown's avatarPatrick KeddieLeave a comment
Uncategorized

LGBT Russians attempt to take refuge in the UK

The message delivered to Irina Putilova’s friend, a fellow political activist in Russia, was blunt: “You should stop your activities, otherwise you might lose both your legs.” It was not an idle threat. A short time later, Putilova’s friend was attacked in the park and, as promised, both his legs were broken. Soon afterwards, she began receiving similar emails: “Do you want to get the same? Aren’t … Continue reading LGBT Russians attempt to take refuge in the UK

Unknown's avatarPatrick KeddieLeave a comment