Egyptian novelist Sonallah Ibrahim, famed for his critiques of political repression, neoliberalism and Western hegemony, has died at the age of 88, the culture ministry announced on Wednesday.

Ibrahim "passed away today, leaving behind an immortal literary and humanitarian legacy," Culture Minister Ahmed Fouad Hanno said in a tribute, calling the writer a "pillar of modern Arabic literature".

Born in Cairo in 1937, Ibrahim was famed around the Arab world as a chronicler of social injustice, known for his sparse, documentary-style prose and his fierce independence.

His writings -- which blurred the line between the personal and the political -- captured the struggles of the Arab world in the postcolonial era, particularly those of his native Egypt.

Arguably his most famous novel, "Zaat"

See Full Page