Photography portfolio: Egypt through the tumultuous years 2011-2014

Amir Makar

February 12, 2011: Egyptians assemble in Tahrir Egyptians gathered in Tahrir square in central Cairo, following the ouster of long-time president Hosni Mubarak, in power since October 1981 and removed after protests and a popular uprising that took place between the end of January and early February 2011. Giant banner in the centre of the square reads: “The People demand the downfall of the regime.”

January 25, 2012: Egyptians commemorate revolution anniversary Egyptians gather en masse in Tahrir square in central Cairo to commemorate the first anniversary of the popular uprising. Many also demonstrate to end the interim military-governing period and calling for early presidential elections to be held before June 2012.

November 26, 2012: Mass protest for activist funeral Protesters march during the funeral of activist Gaber Salah “Jika” who was killed in clashes and riots with Egyptian police forces in late November 2012 following decrees by Islamist President Mohamed Morsi to immunize himself and the constitutional assembly until a new constitution was in place.

November 26, 2012: Protester carrying chain of teargas canisters Egyptian protester carrying a chain made of teargas canisters fired the day before during clashes with Egyptian police forces in late November 2012, following recent decrees by Islamist President Mohamed Morsi that immunized himself and the Islamist-majority constitutional assembly for an interim period until a new constitution was in place.

January 29, 2013: Children in gas masks atop a crashed riot police vehicle Street children explore a burnt-down and crashed police vehicle in Tahrir square during a sit-in held against Islamist President Mohamed Morsi and the recently passed 2012 constitution.

January 29, 2013: Teargas clouds in Tahrir during clashes with riot police Egyptian riot police engage protesters amid rocks being thrown and teargas fireback, during sporadic clashes near Tahrir square during the second anniversary of the 2011 uprising.

March 31, 2013: Egypt’s Jon Stewart questioned over insulting President allegations Satirist Bassem Youssef as he arrives at the chief prosecutor's office for questioning on charges of insulting Egypt's Islamist President, Mohamed Morsi, and contempt for Muslim faith rituals, in three episodes of his show.

May 17, 2013: “Tamarod” campaign collecting petitions Members of grassroots dissenting movement “Tamarod” (Rebel) collecting petitions calling for the impeachment and step-down of Islamist President Mohamed Morsi and holding early elections, against what was deemed oligarchic rule by his mother organization, the Muslim Brotherhood, opposed by many Egyptians.

June 4, 2013: Tamarod movement collects endorsements during Sayyeda Zeinab Mulid An elder Egyptian woman proudly carries signed petitions calling for the impeachment of Islamist President Mohamed Morsi when “Tamarod” (Rebel) movement members propagated them during the annual Muslim festival of the Sayyeda Zeinab Mulid in Old Cairo.

June 30, 2013: Nasser posters seen in Tahrir during massive day of protest Egyptians wearing red cards saying “Leave,” while waving national flags and carrying posters of former leader Gamal Abdel-Nasser in early noon, during what became massive demos calling for the step-down of Islamist President Mohamed Morsi, mainly instigated by the grassroots “Tamarod” (Rebel) movement. (Poster of Nasser caption reads: “Gamal [Abdelnasser] said it a long time ago, Brotherhood are not to be trusted.”)

June 30, 2013: Egyptians protest against Morsi on June 30 Egyptians march to Tahrir square by statue of early 20th-century nationalist leader and prime minister Saad Zaghloul in a much anticipated protest involving millions, all calling for the ouster of Islamist President Mohamed Morsi and holding early elections. The protests were called for by the grassroots “Tamarod” (Rebel) movement after amassing what was claimed as millions of impeachment petitions.

June 30, 2013: Nasserist leader Sabahy speaks to journalists on day of protest Former presidential nominee and leading opposition member Hamdeen Sabahy talks to journalists during march to Tahrir square with other leftist opposition leaders, on massive day of protest calling upon Islamist President Mohamed Morsi to step-down.

June 30, 2013: Protesters waving red cards to Morsi Egyptian protesters waving red cards saying “leave” directed towards Islamist President Mohamed Morsi, calling upon him to step-down and to hold early presidential elections, during massive day of protest involving millions.

July 2, 2013: Fireworks in massive anti-Morsi Tahrir sit-in Thousands of protesters flood Tahrir square in early July calling for the ouster of Islamist President Mohamed Morsi and holding early presidential elections. The protests were fomented by grassroots dissent group “Tamarod” (Rebel), who claims to amass millions of impeachment petitions exceeding the number of votes Morsi amassed during the 2012 presidential elections.

July 3, 2013: Young protester supporting Morsi at Islamist sit-in At a rally in Cairo’s twin city of Giza, a young boy carries a rebranded old election campaign sign, in support of Islamist President Mohamed Morsi. Islamist supporters of Morsi had gathered at two major sit-ins at both ends of the capital, backing Morsi and his legitimate mandate to continue his 4-year term. (Sign captions read: “I am not [a member of the] Muslim Brotherhood and I support Dr. Mohamed Morsi, for the sake of Egypt. Legitimacy is a red line. Our strength lies in our unity.”)

July 9, 2013: Elder Egyptian walks by poster of military chief Sissi Silhouette of an Egyptian middle-aged man walking down a lane in Old Cairo past posters of Defence Minister Abdel-Fattah el-Sissi, who led a popularly backed coup on July 3 to oust Islamist President Mohamed Morsi following protests of millions. Since the coup, Sissi has been widely hailed as a champion and many have subsequently called upon him to run for president, continuing the cycle of military-background leaders in Egypt since 1952.

July 20, 2013: Morsi supporter reading Quran at major sit-in An Islamist supporter of ousted President Mohamed Morsi reads the Quran while fasting during the holy month of Ramadan, at the eastern Cairo major sit-in of Rabia el-Adawiya. Other members of the sit-in are sleeping in makeshift tents behind, cooling off from the hot July sun.

July 27, 2013: Bodies taken to morgue out of makeshift field hospital Paramedics transport dead bodies of killed supporters of ousted President Mohamed Morsi from the makeshift field hospital at the Rabia al-Adawiya sit-in to the Zeinhom Cairo Central Morgue. Dozens of Islamists were killed during clashes the night before on July 26 between thugs and Morsi supporters from the Rabia sit-in.

July 27, 2013: Father looks at son's body outside Cairo morgue At least a dozen bodies queue outside Cairo's central Zeinhom morgue, warily awaiting entry in the July heat. Lawyer Mohamed Ali Haridi, left, father of 17-year-old Omar stands over his dead son's body who was killed by gunshot in the neck. His son was killed in clashes between thugs and Morsi supporters from the Rabia sit-in the night before on July 26 among dozens others.

September 6, 2013: Islamists in Friday protest wave Rabia signs Islamist supporters of ousted President Mohamed Morsi wave “Rabia” signs, marking the violent storming and dispersal of the pro-legitimacy sit-ins of Rabia al-Adawiya in eastern Cairo and el-Nahda in Giza. The Rabia sign, signifying the number 4, was created following the dispersals as a logo for the new dissent movement calling to reinstate Morsi and to restore his legitimacy after his ouster during the popularly-backed July 3 coup.

November 4, 2013: Islamists gather in protest outside first session of Morsi trial Supporters of ousted Islamist President Mohamed Morsi gathered outside his trial venue in New Cairo in protest against his incarceration, ouster, and trial. Morsi was held incommunicado at an unknown location since his ouster on July 3 until he finally appeared for his trial in November. He was charged with conspiring in and being party to killings of critic protesters during an earlier sit-in outside the presidential palace in December 2012. Other charges and trials have been filed against him since, including espionage and breaking out of prison during the 2011 uprising.

November 4, 2013: Islamists wave Morsi-masks outside former leader trial Supporters of ousted Islamist President Mohamed Morsi wave masks of his face outside his trial venue in New Cairo in protest against his incarceration, ouster, and trial. Morsi was held incommunicado at an unknown location since his ouster on July 3 until he finally appeared for his trial in November. He was charged with conspiring in and being party to killings of critic protesters during an earlier sit-in outside the presidential palace in December 2012. Other charges and trials have been filed against him since, including espionage and breaking out of prison during the 2011 uprising.

December 3, 2013: Cairo University students protest against killing of colleague on campus Engineering students gather in a campus protest against the alleged killing of colleague Mohamed Reda by riot police forces the week before. Clashes had occurred between security forces and Muslim Brotherhood pro-legitimacy dissenting students that later involved firing of teargas and birdshot. Authorities claimed that bystander and non-participant Reda was shot not by police but by pro-Brotherhood students, based on flimsy forensic evidence.

March 24, 2014: Al-Jazeera journalists in court over alleged terror links Canadian-Egyptian Al-Jazeera journalist Mohammed Fahmy, centre, with hands on the cage, in the dock at his terror trial in Cairo on March 24. The trial was adjourned until March 31. Published by The Toronto Star: http://www.thestar.com/news/world/2014/03/24/canadian_journalists_trial_in_egypt_adjourned.html

May 26, 2014: Egyptians vote in second presidential poll within 2 years Egyptians vote in May 2014 in the second presidential elections held since the ouster of long-time autocrat Hosni Mubarak in 2011, and the first since the ouster of the first democratically-elected civilian, the Islamist Mohamed Morsi in 2012. In stark contrast to 2012’s 13-candidate race, Egyptians only choose between Abdelfattah el-Sissi, the former military chief who led Morsi’s ouster; and the leader of Morsi’s opposition, the Nasserist Hamdeen Sabahy.

May 27, 2014: Egyptians rally in support of former general during presidential elections

Egyptians rally outside poll stations on the second day of the 2014 presidential elections, in blatant defiance of electoral silence which started two days before polls began. Songs in support of presidential candidate and former military chief Abdefattah el-Sissi roared outside as voters held supporting rallies in the streets of the central Cairo neighbourhood of Sayyeda Zeinab.

June 2, 2014: Egypt’s Jon Stewart ends show indefinitely citing pressures Egyptian satirist Bassem Youssef, often remarked as Egypt’s Jon Stewart and host of similar political satire show “al-Bernameg” announces the end of his show, citing limitations of freedoms in the Egyptian media and on host channel MBC Misr from unnamed authorities. He adds that there is no room currently in Egypt for political sarcasm.

June 16, 2014: Canadian journalist makes appeal to judge Jailed Canadian journalist Mohamed Fahmy, waving a biography of former U.S. president George W. Bush, addresses the judge in his terror trial on June 16. Published by The Toronto Star: http://www.thestar.com/news/world/2014/06/16/imprisoned_canadian_journalist_mohamed_fahmy_makes_appeal_to_egyptian_judge.html

June 17, 2014: Al-Jazeera journalist freed on bail after months-long hunger strike Al Jazeera journalist Abdullah al-Shamy was released on Tuesday, June 17, 2014, after being on hunger strike for over 100 days. Published by Aswat Masriya: http://en.aswatmasriya.com/news/view.aspx?id=8701d75f-9350-4bb6-be76-19ede33db231

Additional photos can be found in a portfolio submitted for the consideration of a Masters-degree application for the University of Westminster in London, UK, accessible through this web-link: http://flickr.com/photos/amakar/sets/72157643336999465/