Bahgat Saber

Bahgat Saber
بهجت صابر‎
Born	Unknown, probably in the 1960s Giza Governorate, Egypt Arab Republic

‘’‘Bahgat Saber’’’ (Egyptian Arabic: بهجت صابر‎, Egyptian Arabic pronunciation: [ˈbæħɡæt ˈsˤɑːbɪr]) is an Egyptian-born American social media personality, political activist, and pan-Islamist based in New York City. He is well known for his activism on behalf of his criticism of the Egyptian government, especially of president Abdel Fattah el-Sisi.

Bahgat Saber has been a subject of controversy due to his extremist views towards the Egyptian government. In a 2020 video, he is seen advocating for bioterrorism against Egyptian government officials using communicable diseases.Naar, Ismaeel (18 March 2020). "Coronavirus: Muslim activist calls on Egyptians to infect officials". Al Arabiya. Archived from the original on May 16, 2021. He has also made inflammatory remarks on Coptic priest Zakaria Botros and Egyptian-American analyst Magdi Khalil. In a video from 2021, he threatened physical violence against them for their criticism of Islam.

Bahgat Saber has also been criticised for his extreme use of profanity, which has resulted in the breakout of multiple street fights and even his arrest."ما قصة المصري بهجت صابر الذي اعتقلته الشرطة الأمريكية خلال بث مباشر له في نيويورك؟" (in Arabic). Archived from the original on June 17, 2022.

Early life and background

Bahgat Saber was born in Egypt, though detailed information about his early life remains scarce. He later moved to the United States, where he became actively involved in political activism against the Egyptian government, often using social media platforms to voice his dissent."Egyptian Anti-Sisi Muslim Brotherhood Supporter Bahgat Saber Urges Egyptians To Infiltrate Egyptian Government Offices". Retrieved October 20, 2024.

Political activism

Saber gained notoriety for his vocal opposition to President Sisi following the military coup that ousted Egypt’s first democratically elected president, Mohamed Morsi, in 2013. Saber has been an ardent critic of the Egyptian regime’s treatment of political dissidents, particularly members of the Muslim Brotherhood, which has been outlawed and labeled as a terrorist organization by the Egyptian government."Hunger-striking US activists demand Egypt halt politicised executions". Retrieved October 20, 2024.

In 2020, he posted a controversial video on Facebook urging Egyptians infected with COVID-19 to deliberately spread the virus to Egyptian officials at embassies and consulates, which he described as a form of protest against the regime’s corruption. His statements sparked widespread outrage, with many criticizing his incitement of violence.

Hunger strike and international advocacy

In 2021, Saber joined a hunger strike alongside other activists, protesting against the mass executions of political prisoners in Egypt. This protest was held in front of the United Nations headquarters in New York, where Saber and other activists called for international intervention to prevent further executions. He urged the UN and global diplomats to pressure the Egyptian government into commuting the death sentences of Muslim Brotherhood members and other dissidents facing execution."The Commercialization of Targeting Muslims and Imprisoning Enlightenment". Retrieved October 20, 2024.

Muslim Brotherhood and Egyptian politics

Since the military coup that overthrew elected president Mohamed Morsi and the subsequent crackdown on the Muslim Brotherhood, Saber has been a vocal advocate for the organization, often defending its members as victims of state persecution. The Egyptian government has jailed thousands of Brotherhood members, with many sentenced to death.

Controversies

Saber’s activism has been marked by controversy, particularly due to his radical methods and rhetoric. His calls for Egyptians to infect government officials with COVID-19 were widely condemned, though Saber defended these actions as necessary forms of resistance against what he views as state brutality. Moreover, despite his criticism of the Muslim Brotherhood, he has sometimes been misidentified by international surveillance programs as a member of the organization."The Commercialization of Targeting Muslims and Imprisoning Enlightenment". Retrieved October 20, 2024.