D.O.B.: 1949

Profession: Author/publisher.

Date of arrest: 23 December 2000

Sentence: Three years’ imprisonment with hard labour.

Expires: 22 December 2003

Details of arrest: First arrested at his home in Cairo on 10 March 2000 and books he had written confiscated. On 6 May 2000 Muhsin was charged under Article 98 (f) of the penal code with “denigration of revealed religions” and “threatening social peace”. The indictment refers to Muhsin’s publications Musamarat al-Sama’ (Lecture of the heaven), Mudhakkirat Muslim (Memoirs of a Muslim) and Irti’ashat Tanwiriya (Shivers of Enlightenment). He was released in July 2000, but re-arrested on or around 23 December 2000 after a re-trial was ordered.

Details of trial: Muhsin’s trial opened at the State Security Court for Misdemeanours in Giza on 17 June 2000. On 8 July he received a suspended sentence of six months’ imprisonment and was subsequently released. However on 14 December 2000 the office for the ratification of court sentences accepted an appeal submitted by the prosecution requesting a re-trial. On 23 December 2000 Mohsen was re-arrested at Cairo Interational Airport before boarding a flight to Turkey. A new trial opened on 20 January 2001, and on 27 January 2001 he was convicted and sentenced.

Professional details: Muhsin’s publications reportedly reflect his views on religious issues, which might be considered controversial but do not advocate violence or incitement to hatred. He is a member of the Union of Egyptian Writers.

Honorary member of: Canadian, Netherlands, Ghanaian, English and USA West PEN.

Presumed freed on expiry of sentence

Originally posted with the url: www.englishpen.org/writersinprison/honorarymembers/egypt/salahal-dinmuhsin/