Ahmed Naji

Ahmed is a writer from Egypt who currently lives in Las Vegas. In 2016 Ahmed was sentenced to two years for publishing his novel “Using Life”. His imprisonment marks the first time in modern Egypt that an author has been jailed for a work of literature. Among his works are more than six books, most of which have been translated into different languages. His recent book, “Rotten evidence: reading and writing in prison,” will be published in English by McSweeney’s. Ahmed won several prizes and grants throughout his career, PEN/Barbey Freedom To Write Award, USA, 2016, The Open Eye Award, Germany, 2016. AFAC grants, 2018. His novel Using Life was also shortlisted for the Neukom Institute Literary Arts Awards 2018. For more about his work, please visit Ahmednaji.net.