The book “Memories from a Women’s Prison” authored by the Egyptian feminist writer Neval el-Saadavi has been translated from Arabic by Assoc. Prof. Dr. Mustafa İsmail Dönmez and is now available on the shelves under the Ayrıkotu Kitap label.

Neval el-Saadavi, born in Egypt in 1931 and a graduate of Cairo Medical School in 1955, has faced persecution from the Egyptian government due to her outspoken views on the oppression of women and gender-related issues. Her book “Woman and Sex,” published in 1972, was a bold call to challenge taboos and garnered significant attention. Her work “The Hidden Face of Eve,” a compelling narrative of a sex worker’s life, has been translated into numerous languages and gained popularity in Turkey after its Turkish translation.

In 1981, Saadavi was imprisoned by the Egyptian government during Anwar Sadat’s rule. Upon her release in 1982, she promptly established the Arab Women’s Solidarity Association. Unfortunately, the association was forcibly closed in 1991, leading Saadavi to seek refuge abroad.

Neval el-Saadavi passed away at the age of 89. Her published works include notable titles such as “The Hidden Face of Eve,” “God Dies by the Nile,” “The Fall of the Imam,” “Woman at Point Zero,” and “The Nawal El Saadawi Reader.” She is remembered as a feminist icon who not only authored influential works but also fought for women’s rights and freedom in the face of societal and political pressures.