Sarah Hegazi (; 1 October 1989 – 14 June 2020), also spelled Hegazy or Higazy, was an Egyptian socialist, writer, and lesbian activist. She was arrested, imprisoned and tortured in Egypt for three months after flying a rainbow flag at a Mashrou' Leila concert in 2017 in Cairo. Hegazi, who lived with PTSD resulting from the prison torture she had experienced in Egypt, was granted asylum in Canada, living there until her suicide.
Early life and education
Hegazi was born on 1 October 1989 to an Egyptian conservative middle-class family; she was the eldest of four siblings. She helped her mother take care of her siblings after her father, a high school science teacher, died. Pictures of a young Hegazi in conservative Islamic garb, including a hijab, surfaced after her death. Hegazi wore the hijab until she came out as a lesbian in 2016.
In 2010, Hegazi graduated from Thebas Academy with a bachelor's degree in information systems and the American University in Cairo Continuing Education Center in 2016. Through distance learning, Hegazi completed certificates in "Fighting for Equality: 1950–2018", "Feminism and Social Justice", "Research Methods", "Diversity and Inclusion in the Workplace", and "Understanding Violence" at Columbia University, University of California Santa Cruz, SOAS University of London, the University of Pittsburgh, and Emory University.
Political views
Hegazi identified as a communist and supported the Bread and Freedom Party while living in Egypt, and became involved with the Spring Socialist Network once in Canada. Hegazi reported being fired from her job for opposing the Sisi regime in Egypt. Nine years after the Egyptian revolution of 2011, Hegazi wrote that "the old regime will try anything, even sacrificing important icons of their regime, in order to stay in power or regain power", describing President el-Sisi as "the most oppressive and violent dictator in our modern history" and writing that "revolutionaries believe the battle is one of class". Hegazi wrote that in consequence of the revolution being left incomplete, "most of us are now in the grave, in prison or exile."
Persecution in Egypt
Arrest and asylum
On September 22, 2017, Sarah Hegazi attended a concert for the Lebanese band Mashrou' Leila whose lead singer, Hamed Sinno, is openly gay. Hegazi was among a group of others arrested for waving a rainbow flag in support of LGBT rights. She was charged with joining an organization whose intent was to contravene the law by inciting acts of immorality or debauchery. Her arrest coincided with Egypt's zero-tolerance crackdown response to end public support for LGBT rights in the country. She was jailed for three months at Sayeda Zeinab police station where male agents incited inmates to beat her, and verbally and sexually assault her. In an article published by Mada Masr on September 24, 2018, Hegazi recounted her arrest. She wrote that she was arrested at home in front of her family, and that, during the process, the officer questioned her about her religion, why she removed her hijab, and whether she was a virgin or not. According to her account, the officer blindfolded her and took her by car to a location she did not know. She sat in a chair gagged with a cloth with her hands cuffed. She was subject to electric shock and she lost consciousness. She was also threatened that her mother would be harmed if she told anyone. Hegazi was released on 2 January 2018 and was fined £E1,000 (US$56); after her release, she struggled with depression, panic attacks and post-traumatic stress disorder. The media compared the arrest of Hegazi with the arrest of the Cairo 52. Fearing further prosecution, Hegazi sought asylum in Canada in 2018. Hegazi lost her mother to cancer one month after leaving Egypt.