Egypt prosecution releases creator of unofficial GEM video

El-Sayed Gamal El-Din , Saturday 16 Aug 2025

Egypt’s Public Prosecution has released Abd El-Rahman Khaled, a mass communication graduate briefly detained for producing an unofficial promotional video for the Grand Egyptian Museum (GEM), set to open on 1 November.

GEM
GEM

 

In a statement Friday evening, the prosecution said Khaled denied any wrongdoing, insisting his only aim was to promote the museum.

The AI-generated video — featuring Egyptian and international stars, including Mohamed Salah and Lionel Messi — circulated widely online and drew sharp criticism from the Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities.

On Tuesday, the ministry clarified that the video was not an official production and violated intellectual property and public performance rights.

It vowed legal action against its creator, emphasizing that all official promotional material will be released solely through its verified platforms, the GEM’s official pages, the Egyptian Tourism Authority, and its campaign partner, United Media Services (UMS).

Following Khaled’s arrest, social media users expressed solidarity, arguing that his creativity should have been encouraged rather than penalized.

Local media later reported that the tourism ministry had withdrawn its complaint against him.

Located near the Giza Pyramids, the GEM is set to become one of the world’s largest archaeological museums, housing thousands of artefacts from Egypt’s ancient heritage.

Its opening is expected to attract global attention.

 

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