Sakharov Prize for Freedom of Thought 2011

Her videos, tweets and Facebook posts helped topple the Mubarak regime. But receiving the European Parliament's Sakharov Prize for Freedom of Thought doesn't mark the end of her fight against oppression. We spoke with her about the challenges faced by Egypt and her vision of a democratic Islam.

How important were the Internet and social media for the Arab Spring in Egypt?

Social media was the alternative media for us. This is how we managed to convey to people what we were going through and reveal to them the reality of Mubarak's regime. We announced our demonstrations and got people to participate in them. Social media was key to reaching critical mass.

But the current regime is using social media to counter-attack. It creates fake activist accounts, gives false information and spreads rumours. And so it creates the impression that the people on the street are for the current regime.

The current regime, the Supreme Council of Armed Forces (SCAF), has realised the mistakes Mubarak made in dealing with the revolution and is trying to turn the means we used against him to break us.

Are you afraid the old regime will return?

The current regime is part of the old order, so we cannot really say that the old regime has ended. But they are even more ferocious than the old guard. They are using all possible means to take revenge on those calling for an end to military rule.

And they are doing something very dangerous. They are creating animosity between the armed forces and the Egyptian people, something that didn't exist before. Those in the armed forces that object to the atrocities of the SCAF are imprisonned and tortured.

What do you think about the success of Islamist parties in Tunisia and Egypt?

You should try to better understand Islam and not just look at Islamists as the only representatives of Islam. As Baroness Ashton said yesterday, Islam is a great religion and you should not fall for the deformation of Islam by some extremists.

What could the EU and EP do to support the transition to democracy in the Arab world?

I am against any form of foreign intervention, but I think the EP should insist on the application of universal humanitarian laws. It should use its relationships with governments to convince them to stop supporting the SCAF with weapons and other means. But it is up to Egyptian civil society to make sure that human rights are applied and upheld in Egypt.

Will the Sakharov Prize help your cause?

It might not be useful for my cause in Egypt, but it will help me work for peace and humanitarian values at an international level. Our bigger aim is to create better relationships between countries. Once people all over the world have attained their right they can be more creative and more productive.