Shady Habash

Shady Habash (21 August 1995 – 1 May 2020) was an Egyptian filmmaker.

Biography

Habash started a photography and video business in 2006. He was imprisoned without trial in March 2018 for making a music video for the exiled Egyptian rock musician Ramy Essam, that mocked Egyptian President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi. The video's release prompted the arrest of eight people, who were accused of "joining a terrorist group," "spreading false news," "abusing social media networks," "blasphemy," "contempt of religion," and "insulting the military" (Case No. 480 / 2018). As of 3 May 2020, the video had more than five million views on YouTube.

After being incarcerated for more than two years in pretrial detention, Habash died in Tora Prison in Cairo in May 2020 at the age of 24. Prosecutors stated that Habash's cause of death was officially ruled as alcohol poisoning in an autopsy, with the prosecutor-general further elaborating that Habash had mistakenly drinken alcohol-based hand sanitizer; according to the prosecutor-general, Habash died before he could be hospitalized. However, it is questioned whether this is the full true story. Habash had been subjected to human rights violations while imprisoned, such as "the violation of right to health", absence of trial and arbitrary detention.

Before his death, others who were imprisoned with Habash had begged the prison guards for medical care for Habash. The call for medical attention would have been ignored, resulting in medical negligence and his death.

Legacy

On October 26, 2019, Habash sent out a letter from Tora prison. After Habash' death, Ramy Essam released a song using the content of this, Habash' last letter.

John Greyson's 2021 experimental short documentary film International Dawn Chorus Day was created as a tribute to Habash and Sarah Hegazi.