iskander began his career in activism as a staunch nasserist. throughout the 1970s, during the presidency of anwar sadat, he was part of the anti-sadat student movement and won in two student union elections. he also participated in the anti-austerity protests of 1977 which resulted in his arrest. he was arrested two more times, during the 1980 parliamentary elections and in 1983 for suspicions of being part of an clandestine nasserist organization. he was severely tortured during his latter stint in prison.