Shudi Atiya Ash-Shafi

Shudi Atiya ash-Shafi ( ar, شهدى عطية الشافعى) was an Egyptian communist theoretician and activist. Ash-Shafi studied in Britain, and returned to Egypt in 1942 with a Master of Arts degree from Exeter College. After his return to Egypt he was employed at the Ministry of Education as an English-language supervisor. He joined the communist '' Iskra'' group, of which he became a prominent member. He went on to become director of the House of Scientific Research (a Marxist study centre set up by ''Iskra'') for a period. In 1947 he became editor of the newspaper of the group, ''al-Jamahir''. In the same year ''Iskra'' merged into the Democratic Movement for National Liberation (HADITU).Gorman, Anthony.
Historians, State, and Politics in Twentieth Century Egypt: Contesting the Nation
'. London: Routledge, 2003. p. 93

As HADITU passed through inner-party conflicts, ash-Shafi resigned from the movement towards the end of 1947. After leaving HADITU, ash-Shafi became an active advocate for greater unity in the Egyptian communist movement.

Ash-Shafi was arrested in a crackdown on leftist intellectuals, which had begun in January 1959. In 1960 he was beaten to death in the Abu Zabal prison camp.

Bibliography

In 1957 a major work by authored by ash-Shafi was published, ''Tatawarah al-harakah al-wataniyah al-misriyah, 1882-1956'' ('Development of the Egyptian Nationalist Movement, 1882-1956'). It was republished in 1983.Gorman, Anthony.
Historians, State, and Politics in Twentieth Century Egypt: Contesting the Nation
'. London: Routledge, 2003. p. 223

References

Egyptian Marxists
1960 deaths
Year of birth missing
Deaths by beating
Egyptian torture victims

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