Human rights lawyer Andra Matei from Avant-Garde Lawyers together with artist Ramy Essam, who Matei represents, have submitted filmmaker Shady Habash's case to the United Nations Special Rapporteur on Extrajudicial, Summary or Arbitrary Executions Agnès Callamard. The submission is calling Ms. Callamard to intercede with the Egyptian authorities in order to have the circumstances and causes of Shady Habash’s tragic death in custody fully investigated and to ensure that those responsible for it are promptly brought to justice. Shady Habash died on the 1st of May 2020, in Tora Prison, Cairo.
Filmmaker Shady Habash was held for over two years in unlawful pre-trial detention solely for having peacefully exercised his human rights. His extremely violent arrest was followed by three days of torture and two years of confinmet in a situation of particular vulnerability in one of Egypt's notoriously reputed prisons for their poor healthcare and inadequate sanitation. Shady Habash’s death in custody is believed to have been caused by the failure of prison authorities to ensure Shady with timely access to a doctor and suitable health. Read more >
“I am very thankful for the UN Special Rapporteur Agnès Callamard to review the case, as it is extremely important to duly investigate Shady’s death. I would like to express my gratitude to my lawyer Andra Matei for the remarkable work”, says Ramy Essam.