Young critic of Sisi dies while in jail

CAIRO: A young Egyptian film-maker imprisoned for directing a music video critical of President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi has died in a Cairo jail, his lawyer said on Saturday.

Shady Habash, 24, died in Tora prison, said lawyer Ahmed al-Khawaga, who was unable to give a cause of death. “His health had been deteriorating for several days .... He was hospitalised, then returned to the prison on Friday evening where he died in the night,” he said.

Habash was detained in March 2018, accused of “spreading fake news” and “belonging to an illegal organisation”. He was arrested after having directed the music video for the song Balaha by rock singer Ramy Essam. The song’s lyrics lambast “Balaha” — a name given to Sisi by his detractors in reference to a character in an Egyptian film known for being a notorious liar.

Essam gained popularity during the popular revolt against then-president Hosni Mubarak in early 2011. He has since gone into exile in Sweden. The video has had more than five million views on YouTube. The Arabic Network for Human Rights Information said Habash died as a result of “negligence and lack of justice”.

Human rights groups regularly highlight poor prison conditions in Egypt. PEN America described Habash’s death in custody as “a devastating blow” to artistic freedom. “With Habash’s death, (Sisi) has sent a disturbing signal to the rest of the world: share views that I disagree with and you might face a de-facto death sentence,” said Julie Trebault, director of PEN America’s Artists at Risk programme. Due to the novel coronavirus pandemic, authorities have suspended visits and the work of the courts, further isolating detainees.