Egypt's 'most famous executioner' dies aged 75

Egypt's 'most famous executioner' died on Sunday aged 75, according to local media.

Hussein Al-Fiqi, known by his nickname 'Amshawi', manned the gallows for 41 years. Al-Fiqi worked as an assistant at the country’s execution office between 1980 and 1998, before taking the role of chief hangman in 1999.

Notably, he executed Izzat Hanafi, an infamous dealer of arms and narcotics, in 2006. He also worked as an adviser to domestic Egyptian soap operas, who relied on his expertise to reconstruct execution scenes.

Between the years 1990 and 2006, he reportedly held the title of the world's most prolific state executioner, carrying out the death penalty a total of 1070 times.

In his later years, he appeared on Egyptian TV shows to discuss details of his macabre profession, as well as opening up about how he felt as he executed people.

Hundreds attended the Al Fiqi's burial in his hometown of Minya Samanoud, in Egypt’s northern Dakahlia Governate, on Sunday.

Egypt, along with Iran, Iraq and Saudi Arabia, performed 88 percent of known executions throughout the world last year, according to a report published by Amnesty International last week.

At least 107 people were put to death in Egypt in 2020, second only to Iran, which executed 246 people, according figures gathered by the London-based NGO.

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