Yehia Fekry, Mohamed Hashem awarded 2026 Prix Voltaire
Egyptian publisher Yehia Fekry has been awarded the 2026 International Publishers Association (IPA) Prix Voltaire, which supports defenders of freedom to publish. A Prix Voltaire Special Award was announced for the deceased Egyptian publisher Mohamed Hashem.
Fekry, founder and CEO of El Maraya, said, “El Maraya was founded in 2016 with a simple but ambitious mission: to provide a platform for young voices emerging from Egypt’s new democratic and liberal currents, and for critical perspectives that often struggle to find space within dominant intellectual and political discourse. Over time, El Maraya has succeeded in building a wide community of readers and followers. Yet the nature of our cultural mission – and the critical perspectives reflected in our publications – has exposed us to numerous institutional pressures that have challenged our work from the very beginning and continue to do so today. Despite these ongoing pressures, we remain committed to our mission and determined to carry it forward. We remain committed to the right of people to knowledge, and to the right of writers and researchers to express their ideas freely.”
Hashem’s daughter, Mirette Hashem said, “My father dedicated his life to the belief that books are the cornerstone of a free and enlightened society. As a publisher, he was a staunch defender of freedom of expression, consistently advocating for the right to think, write, and publish without fear in Egypt. He sacrificed much to protect these values, always believing that freedom of expression is essential to a nation’s progress.”
The shortlist announced in June included:
- Dar Al Jundi Publishing, Samir Al Jundi, Palestine
- El Maraya, Yehia Fekry, Egypt
- Freedom Letters, Georgy Urushadze, Russia
- Gantala Press, Faye Cura, Philippines
- KompasGuide, Vitali Ziusko, Russia
- Sam Yan Press, Netiwit Chotiphatphaisal, Thailand.
IPA Freedom to Publish Committee chair Jessica Sanger said, “Through this year’s shortlist we yet again see publishers having to operate in exile. Publishers being excluded from book fairs and literary festivals, publishers standing up for diverse ideas and challenging restrictive laws, giving a voice to communities who would otherwise be deprived of the chance to tell their stories. Publishers living in the context of war and still trying to publish books that help make sense of the world around us.”
Last year’s prize was awarded to exiled Belarusian Publishers Nadia Kandrusevich and Dmitri Strotsev.
Category: International awards International news
