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Ammon News - Ahram Online
International political cartoonist Carlos Latuff has expressed solidarity with Egyptian cartoonist Doaa El-Adl, who is being questioned by prosecutor general Talaat Abdallah for critising Islamists in Egypt.

In his statement via Twitter, Latuff condemned the opression practiced against artists and journalists in Egypt. "Solidarity with cartoonist Doaa El-Adl who is charged with critising Islamists," he said.

Latuff drew the veiled Egyptian cartoonist holding her sharpened pencil like a spear to defend her from the attack by an Islamist, which Latuff drew waving his sword angrily at the young artist. "She is being harrassed by Islamists," he added.

Published in Al Masry Al Youm on 20 December, El-Adl portrayed Adam and Eve standing under the tree after they were kicked out of heaven because of their vote in the referendum.

Next to them is a happy angel telling them in Arabic, "If you had voted yes in this referendum the way I did, you would have enjoyed heaven." El-Adl's recent piece had followed another with an Islamist inside the poll box kicking out votes against the constitution.

Latuff had his own take on the referendum, drawing an Islamist raising two swords to protect the constitution.

Latuff says via his piece, "Muslim Brotherhood claims constitution passed." For his two recent cartoons attacking the Islamists' domination of Egypt - one depicting the new constitution as Morsi's constitution, the other pointing to the Muslim Brotherhood's claim of the constitution passed - Latuff too is facing harrassment on his Twitter account - to which he says, "Respect other people's opinions."

Born in 1968 in Rio de Janeiro, Latuff’s cartoons are well known to Egypt's youth. They serve as a distant support of an artist working from his desk in Brazil and often are placed on banners held in protests.

Latuff has never visited Egypt, yet his interest in the region started with Palestine and spread over many other countries in the Arab World.

He does not have a university degree yet for years works as a professional cartoonist. He is also interested in photography and video-making for documentary purposes. Ahram Online talks to Carlos Latuff, one of the biggest supporters of Egypt’s Revolution.