Artists in general have a hard time making their voice felt in Middle-Eastern countries without risking legal censure. When you’re a subversive writer in post Arab-spring Egypt, the difficulty becomes more pronounced.

Ahmad Said Abdel Moneim, one of the guests at this year's Malta Book Festival, is one such artist and activist, a publisher in times of revolution. One who, moreover, has witnessed the changing creative and political landscape that defines Egypt. He remembers his first introduction to the literary world being through reading was Nawal Al sadawy’s work.

“Her writing opened the door to the world of literature. I remember reading her short story in Akhbar Aladab magazine, which is considered the most important publication among Arabian culture press, and promising myself that I wouldn’t miss another edition of this magazine.

Through this, I got to know about authors I had never heard of, authors whose works have been translated across the world. This is how my love for literature was born,” he reminisces.

He describes how he remembers the literary scene in Egypt as being diverse and bustling. Then, in 2000, a new generation of readers appeared, a generation that he describes as “unfocused” and as “not belonging to any movement”. “They do not distinguish between best-sellers and literary publications that talk about intellectual and philosophical issues, that delve into the issue of humanity. There are topics that are not welcomed by casual readers,” he tells me.

He describes how, even culture editors and journalists, both in governmental or private press, are disinterested. “Most of them only care about supporting their own particular ‘groups’,” he says.

“However, rather unexpectedly, these negative elements still lead to some really good writing by those who still care. Writings that I am happy to publish. From the beginning, I chose the route of the rebel on everything – whether it is language, style, techniques, issues, taboos or audiences.” Ahmad says how he chooses to keep his publications few, to around 75 per year, limiting it to works that fit his ethos. Now, after some three years in business, the audience has increased and he is sensing a change on the literary circuit.

“We are moving from ignoring to respecting. I am determined to continue doing my best to spur growth, by gathering serious book lovers with our publications,” he maintains. Politicially, is there is an attempt to curb the freedom of the creative arts in Egypt? Ahmad describes the situation as complicated, adding that the legislation is very archaic and allows anyone to complain about an artist for “violating public modesty”.

“Anyone can do that and such complaints usually result in jail time for the artist. However, the government doesn’t really bother to take action unilaterally, without complaints. Whenever an artist is jailed, it is always because someone has filed a complaint. And these complaints can usually be traced to personal hostility. There’s always an ulterior motive. The biggest problem is that the law allows this to happen and autorises government crackdown on creative arts. The law needs to go, it is obvious,” Ahmad tells me.

Shockingly, he confides that 10 per cent of authors he publishes get arrested at least once. He describes how a leading Egyptian attorney attacked his publishing house, claiming that they are being paid by foreign countries to destroy Egyptian society. “Things quietened down after that. As I mentioned, the Egyptian system does not move unless somebody complains against a book, author or publishing house.”

The Arab spring, he adds, left a deep grief in the heart of the creative community. He sees a marked difference in the works of Egyptian writers before and after the revolution, describing the latter as “more melancholic and Kafkaesque”. He believes that some types of writings can certainly be the catalyst to bring about social change, particularly works that reveal the face of society and makes us face reality. Literary works, he says, live for thousands of years, unlike their lighter counterparts.

Does this mean that fiction can help the world better understand political upheaval in the Middle East? Not easily. Ahmad believes that the political troubles in the Middle East are incomprehensible even to the politicians themselves. I ask him about his publishing house’s special interest, subversive literature – what constitutes subversive within the context of the Middle East.

He confides that 10 per cent of authors he publishes get arrested at least once

“The Enlightenment is intellectual movement, and it should be happen without any censorship or limits. Through it, we can criticise social customs and thoughts. And we could attempt to change them to ones more closely related to modern thinking.” Has the digital revolution facilitated the work of writers in this endeavour, particularly with respect to making works accessible outside of Egypt?

“Not as we expected; digital revolution did not help enough to spread our creative works outside Egypt. Till now there are no serious programs to translate Egyptian books to many languages. If we find a way, the whole world will be given access to our worthy writers and authors.”

In the meantime, Ahmad remains is eager to present Arab and Egyptian writers and authors to Maltese creators, in the knowledge that the Malta Book Festival experience will reveal Maltese creators and readers eager to build a bridge between Arab and Maltese nations.

An edited version of this interview was first published on The Sunday Circle magazine. The Malta Book Festival opened on Thursday and runs until Sunday at the Mediterranean Conference Centre, Valletta. A full programme is available online. www.ktieb.org.mt

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