Hassan El Shafei breaks silence after being linked to Egypt drug case

Composer Hassan El Shafei broke his silence after reports circulated linking his name and photo to a drug-related case. He stated that he was taken by surprise while traveling, having received numerous calls and messages from people checking on his well-being.

Hassan El Shafei: I discovered I was the central figure in a drug case in Egypt.

In a video posted on his Instagram account, Hassan El Shafei said: “I’ve been traveling these past few days, and suddenly I started receiving alarming calls and messages—’Are you okay? Please reassure us,’ ‘I hope these are just rumors.’ I didn’t understand what was happening, only to discover that I was being portrayed as the central figure in a drug case in Egypt.”

El Shafei explained that he initially thought it was just a random Facebook post, but later realized the story had been published by a media organization. He viewed this as a far more serious matter, particularly because his name and photo were published without any verification of the facts.

He added: “What’s truly alarming is discovering that this is a media organization—with an owner, a managing editor, and staff—meaning they are a legitimate, legally recognized entity in the country. Yet, they published a story using the name and photo of someone who has absolutely no connection to the matter.”

Hassan El Shafei: I will pursue legal action regarding this personal grievance.

El Shafei highlighted the potential damage such reports can cause to an individual and their family, questioning whether those who published the story had considered the impact on his children and relatives.

He continued: “I am not here today to talk about myself; I will handle the personal aspect of this matter through legal channels. We are taking legal action against the organization—from the owner and managing editor down to everyone who participated in this offense.” Al-Shafei emphasized that he does not view the incident as a mere oversight; rather, he described it as a “media crime” and called for clear regulations and penalties to prevent such occurrences from happening again.

He stated: “I am speaking about an issue far greater than just myself. We want to live in a safe society. It is unacceptable for a registered media organization in Egypt—one recognized by the state—to single out an individual, label them with damaging accusations, and inflict such horrific harm upon them.”

Hassan El Shafei Criticizes Deletion of the Story Without an Apology

He pointed out that the organization deleted the story without offering a clear apology, explaining: “They deleted it simply to avoid legal repercussions. Why didn’t they have the decency to at least say, ‘We apologize for this mistake’?”

Hassan Al-Shafei stressed that the issue is not just about him personally, but also about others who may lack the means to defend themselves or make their voices heard. He said: “If someone else—without these resources—faced this situation, they might spend a month unable to cope with it, and by then, their reputation would be destroyed.”

Hassan El Shafei concluded by calling on the relevant authorities to take action, stating: “We must regulate the media in Egypt; the state needs to take measures to ensure this doesn’t happen again.” He urged his followers, media professionals, and fellow artists to share the video, emphasizing that his goal is to protect society from the recurrence of such incidents.