Asmaa Mubarak

Egyptian activist who sparked the 2011 Egyptian Revolution through social media

Asmaa Mubarak emerged as a pivotal figure during the 2011 Egyptian Revolution, leveraging social media to mobilize thousands of protesters. Born in 1989, she became an outspoken critic of Hosni Mubarak's regime while studying mass communication at Cairo University. In January 2011, she uploaded a viral video on Facebook urging Egyptians to join the January 25 protests, declaring, 'If you don't go, no one will blame you, but history will blame us all.' This courageous act of defiance helped galvanize public support for the revolution that eventually toppled the regime. Despite facing death threats and state persecution, she continued advocating for democracy and women's rights through her blog Egyptian Herald. Her story is chronicled in the documentary 'The Square' (2013), which won an Emmy Award. Mubarak's innovative use of digital activism inspired global movements, earning her recognition as one of Foreign Policy's Top 100 Global Thinkers in 2011. She currently works with Article 19 to protect press freedom in the Middle East.