The Execution of a Pharaoh, also translated as The Assassination of the Pharaoh (), is a 2008 Iranian documentary film produced by the Foundation for Honoring the Martyrs of the International Islamic Revolution Movement of Iran.
The film addresses the assassination of former Egyptian President Anwar Sadat, condemning Sadat's policies and supporting the assassination. The film was widely criticized by Egyptian media, newspapers, filmmakers, and artists."Cairo officially protests Iran's 'pharaoh execution'". aaramnews.com. 8 July 2008. Archived from the original on 19 September 2008. Accessed on 23 July 2008. The movie is sixty-two minutes and is in Arabic with Persian subtitles.
Following its release, allegations were made that the documentary had plagiarized content from a documentary produced and broadcast by Al Jazeera as part of a series of documentaries for a program called Political Crime. Al Jazeera opened an investigation into the film, calling it a "media crime, theft and distortion" of the program it produced.
Film description
Content The film is based on a compilation of archival footage, including that of the Assassination of Anwar Sadat during a military parade, and the signing of the Camp David Accords in the United States between Egyptian President Anwar Sadat and Israeli President Menachem Begin in the presence of President Jimmy Carter, and some of the late president's speeches. The film also includes television interviews, some of which were specially produced for the movie, and some are archival interviews of people described as political and security experts. The two main axes that aroused the ire of some circles in Egypt, the first of which was that the film accuses the Egyptian President of treason for signing the Camp David Accords, as the movie states, the reason for Sadat's assassination was "the traitorous president signing the despicable Camp David Accords". The second axis glorifies his killers Khalid Al-Islambuli, Atta Tayel and Abdel Hamid Abdel Salam and calls them martyrs.News report from Russia Today YouTube channel – Retrieved 3 August 2008 The film was broadcast on the sidelines of the ceremony of the Foundation for Honoring the Martyrs of the Islamic Revolution in Iran.Doaa Hassan (8 July 2008). "Producer of 'Pharaoh's Execution' in front of Egyptian court". Ocean. from the original on 2008-09-16. Accessed on 2008-08-03. The movie is named after the phrase Islambuli used when he went to kill Sadat: "Death to Pharaoh.""'Assassination of the Pharaoh' not Iran's official stance" [اغتيال الفرعون ليس الموقف الرسمي الإيراني] (In English). tehrantimes.com. 9 July 2008. Retrieved 3 August 2008.
People cited in the movie
Jehan Sadat (wife of Anwar Sadat) Mustafa Khalil (Former Prime Minister of Egypt)"Political Crime: Anwar Sadat. Causes and repercussions of his assassination S2". Al Jazeera Net. 24 October 2005. Archived from the original on 10 April 2016. Accessed on 2008-09-05. Nabawi Ismail (former Minister of Interior of Egypt) Abou Elela Mady (Former leader of Al-Jama'a al-Islamiyya in Egypt) Fouad Allam (former head of Egypt's State Security Investigations Service) Farouz Rajaee Far, head of the Foundation for Honoring the Martyrs of the Islamic Revolution, said, "The foundation has produced many films related to the heroes who carried out martyrdom operations in Palestine, noting that the film was based on documents taken from Al-Jazeera satellite channel and American sources.""Director of Pharaoh's Execution: Ready to defend the film in Egyptian courts". Masrawy. 15 July 2008. from the original on 12 July 2012. Accessed on 2008-08-04.
Plagiarism allegations Following accusations of plagiarism, a media official at the Iranian Interests Section in Cairo confirmed that the film had taken content from a documentary belonging to the Al Jazeera channel. The documentary in question was first broadcast on Al Jazeera in 2006, on the anniversary of Sadat's assassination.
Al Jazeera launched an investigation into the leak of clips from its documentary to the Iranian Committee. The program in question is a two-hour "Political Crime" program featuring the opinions of analysts and witnesses to the era and the assassination. Al Jazeera considered what the Iranian Committee did a "media crime" and a blatant violation of intellectual property rights. Tamer Mohsen, director of the "Political Crime" program, said that when he watched "The Execution of the Pharaoh," it became clear to him that the vast majority of the footage was taken from his program, but did not appear with the content that he presented. He also pointed out that the film includes footage that wasn't in his documentary, and that some shots from his program were deleted. The deleted segments included footage showing the remorse of members of the Al-Jama'a al-Islamiyya that carried out Sadat's assassination. Mohsen also said he did not know that his work was used in The Execution of the Pharaoh until some of his friends saw the film on YouTube.
On 6 August 2008, Al Jazeera issued a statement stating that The Execution of the Pharaoh had no connection to the channel, and was a misrepresentation and distortion of the Sadat assassination program that the channel had first broadcast in 2006. According to the channel's statement, the 2006 program was well received by the public for its high professionalism and did not raise any objections. The channel also stated that the film was cut in half and re-edited, and featured politically propagandized writing that was not present in The Assassination of Sadat.
Egyptian reaction
Official reaction The Egyptian Foreign Ministry said that Assistant Foreign Minister for Asian Affairs Ambassador Tamer Khalil met with the director of the Iranian Interests Section in Cairo. He emphasized to the Iranian diplomat that: "This film harms relations between the two countries, and that such matters are not right and do not indicate in any way that Iran understands Egyptian sensitivities, and therefore this film affects any positive development of Egyptian-Iranian relations".
Egyptian Foreign Minister Ahmed Aboul Gheit said: "We condemn this movie in the strongest possible terms." He also added "Regarding the movie, it is sad that an Islamic society would allow this great Egyptian national leader to be attacked," he said.
In a session of the Parliament of Egypt on 10 July 2008, it was emphasized that: "The production of a film that insults Egypt and its leaders is an irresponsible act that is completely contrary to the simplest diplomatic rules, good neighborliness, and international custom." Egyptian Shura Council chairman Safwat al-Sharif said that "stopping the broadcast of the film would prove the goodwill of the Iranian side in its attempts to restore normal relations with Egypt".
In another session of the Parliament of Egypt on 13 July 2008, the assembly called for banning the broadcasting of the film in all official and unofficial media outlets because it offends Anwar Sadat's legacy. The statement from the assembly said: "Iran's statements that the film does not represent the official stand cannot be easily accepted because there is a constant confusion between official and unofficial positions in Tehran and Iran has nothing to be proud of in the field of freedom of expression."
The Egyptian Football Association decided to cancel a friendly match scheduled between the Egyptian and Iranian national teams on 20 August 2008. Association president Samir Zaher said he had been in contact with the Egyptian Foreign Ministry for ten days to discuss the matter, until it was decided to cancel the match.
Egypt decided to downgrade its representation at the Non-Aligned Movement's foreign ministers' meeting held in Tehran from 26 to 30 July 2008. Egypt was represented at the meeting by Ambassador Naela Gabr, Assistant Minister of Foreign Affairs for International Multilateral Political Relations. This was interpreted as a continuation of the Egyptian reaction against the film.
Al-Azhar The Islamic Research Academy of Al-Azhar held an emergency meeting to discuss the film. It issued a statement on 14 July 2008, describing those who produced the film as: "A misguided and misguiding group from Iran," and describing the film itself as "an ugly movie that severely insults the martyred President Muhammad Anwar Sadat and glorifies those who assassinated him through treachery, betrayal, immorality and infidelity".Subhi Mujahid (14 July 2008). "Al-Azhar: 'Pharaoh's execution' undermines proximity efforts". Cairo: Islam Online. Archived from the original on 17-7-2008. Accessed on 20-7-2008. The Sheikh of Al-Azhar, Muhammad Sayyid Tantawy, later declined an invitation by Iranian diplomats to visit Iran to reduce tensions between the two countries.Moheet, Sheikh of Al-Azhar refuses to visit Iran in protest against "execution of Pharaoh" – Accessed 7/26/2008 Archived October 02, 2008, at Wayback Machine. The Sheikh of Al-Azhar called on the Iranian authorities to take practical steps to prove the validity of their official position, including changing the name of the street that bears Islambuli's name in Tehran.Mahmoud Ali; Adel Abdel Halim (24-7-2008). "Iran disavows 'pharaoh's execution' in front of Al-Azhar". Cairo: Islam Online. Archived from the original on 4 August 2009. Retrieved 26 July 2008. He also said: "Although we seek rapprochement between Islamic sects, especially Sunnis and Shiites, Tehran seeks to undermine this rapprochement and create more hatred and rancor through its production of this movie, 'The Execution of the Pharaoh' which was produced by a 'misguided Iranian' faction."Ocean, Sheikh of Al-Azhar: We will not open a branch of Al-Azhar University in Tehran – Retrieved 12 September 2008 Archived 12 September 2008, at Wayback Machine.
Iran had requested the establishment of a branch of Al-Azhar in Tehran, but the Sheikh of Al-Azhar rejected this request. He stated: "We were on good terms with Tehran, but when Iranian entities broadcast the movie 'The Execution of Pharaoh,' we took an irreversible position that if this movie is not burned, we will part ways with them until death".Subhi Megahed (14 August 2008). "Al-Azhar: No branch in Iran before burning 'Pharaoh's Execution'". Cairo: Islam Online. Archived from the original on 4 August 2009. Accessed on 2008-09-03.
The Al-Azhar Scholars Front criticized statements by Al-Azhar's Islamic Research Council to "burn The Execution of the Pharaoh". It opposed what it described as "the use of religious institutions to serve political whims."Ayman Hamza. "Al-Azhar Scholars Front criticizes fatwa to burn 'pharaoh's execution'". Al-Masry Al-Youm. Archived from the original on 4 December 2008. Accessed on 2008-11-04.
Lawsuits