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The Exiles -
A generation's story
Middle East Eye
Director: Khaled Shalaby, Hossam Sarhan
Illustration: Mohamad Elaasar
Ten years ago, young Egyptians changed the course of history, overthrowing Hosni Mubarak after a 30-year reign and mesmerising the world. They carried the torch of hope for the Arab world, with a dream of turning their country into an open, democratic, and free society. But that dream never came true.
Watch the full documentary here.
Story 1:
Story told by Walid Abdel Raouf.
"Next to me, there was this young man who was a little younger than 18. A group of young men started bringing some Molotov bottles to protect ourselves against live bullets being shot at us. The person preparing these bottles was the martyr, Mohamed Abdelsalam. He was swift at making these bottles. I looked back, one moment he was there, next moment I couldn't find him, a bullet had gone through his skull. At this very moment, it was all over for me."
Story 2:
Story told by Islam Lutfi
"I saw this with my own eyes, a man on a motorcycle with his niqab-wearing wife being stopped by a group of people. They ripped off his wife's niqab. I went up to them and said that this is not how real men behave. At that point, anyone that looked religious was marked as a terrorist. These were red flags that events of war and violence were on the horizon."
Story 3:
Story told by Osama Gawish
"I was somewhere near where l used to live, and a group of thugs blocked our car and started shouting 'It's Osama Gaweesh, let's get him.' They then started banding on the window until it shattered. I screamed at my dad to press the gas, he did, and we hit one of them to make our way out."
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