Egyptian filmmaker Shady Habash dies in prison after detention for music video

Shady Habash, a photographer and filmmaker imprisoned in 2018, has died in Cairo's Tora Prison. His death was announced on May 2 by lawyer Ahmed el-Khwaga, though the cause remains undetermined. Habash was jailed for directing a music video for exiled musician Ramy Essam's song 'Balaha,' which uses a derogatory nickname for President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi. While Essam stated Habash had no involvement with the lyrics, the filmmaker faced charges including spreading false news, blasphemy, and insulting the military. He had been detained for two years without trial while investigations into terrorism allegations continued. Human rights lawyer Khaled Ali noted Habash should have been released two months earlier, having served the maximum allowable jail time during an investigation. Activist Abdelrahman Ayyash suggested negligence, claiming inmates' cries for help went unanswered as Habash fell ill. Essam, known for performances during Egypt's 2011 revolution, shared Habash's final prison letter on his website, in which the filmmaker sought support from friends while acknowledging risks.