2016 Shawkan photography competition shortlist

Hundreds of photographers competed in the Shawkan Photography Contest for the second year in a row. The competition seeks to draw attention to the case of jailed photojournalist Mahmoud Abu Zeid, known as Shawkan, who was arrested during the violent dispersal of Rabea al-Adaweya sit-in in August 2013, and has remained imprisoned since then.

2500 photos captured by around a thousand photographers competed in the contest, narrowed down to 550 by the judging committee and then down to 40 for the final stage — 20 in each category.

The top three winners will soon be announced, along with two honorary positions for each category.

The contest was organized as a personal initiative by a number of photojournalists and colleagues of Shawkan, and others supporting his cause.

The judging panel this year included five photojournalists, including Hossam Diab, deputy chief editor of Al-Ahram sports, former chief editor of the photography department at Al-Masry al-Youm, and former head of the photojournalists division in the Journalists Syndicate. The panel also included freelance photojournalist and professor of photojournalism at the American University in Cairo Randa Shaath, who worked as photo editor and head of the photography section at Al-Shorouk newspaper from 2008 until 2014.

AP photo editor Thomas Hartwell, photojournalist and Ahmed Hayman, who founded “Beet al-Soura” school and former photojournalist at al-Masry al-Youm were also members of the panel. Al-Shorouk photojournalist Roger Anis was the fifth member, while AP photojournalist Mosa'ab Elshamy served as the contest coordinator. Photojournalists Amr Nabil and Mahmoud Khaled also took part in the coordination.

Mada Masr publishes the photos that reached the final stage in both categories of photojournalism and daily life.

Final photos for the photojournalism category.