Filmmaking Team Calls for Egypt to Free Co-Star Detained After Cannes Success of ‘Eagles of the Republic’
Filmmakers of the acclaimed drama-thriller Eagles of the Republic are urgently demanding the release of actor Hassan El Sayed, who is currently detained in Egypt. They allege that his arrest is linked to unfounded charges relating to the film.
Amnesty International is joining the call for El Sayed’s release. According to the organization, “On 20 December 2025, Egyptian national and Danish resident Hassan El Sayed was arrested upon his arrival at Cairo International Airport. National Security Agency officials questioned him about his role in the movie Eagles of the Republic, where he appeared very briefly as a priest. Following his arrest, he was taken before a prosecutor, who ordered his pretrial detention pending investigations into the charge of ‘joining a terrorist group while being aware of its objectives.’”
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Actor Fares Fares (right) in ‘Eagles of the Republic’
Eagles of the Republic made its debut at the Cannes Film Festival in May. The film features Fares Fares as an actor who must portray Egyptian President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi in a project designed to flatter the leader. Hassan El Sayed, the actor currently detained, appears in the film for a mere 20 seconds.
In a letter to the prosecutor, the filmmakers emphasized, “Hassan El Sayed is not a political figure nor is he engaged in activism; he is an actor. He is a private individual and long-time Danish resident who, like many others, occasionally participates in film productions in minor roles. His involvement in Eagles of the Republic was extremely limited, performed without access to the full script or broader narrative context of the film.”
The letter further states, “We wish to state clearly and unequivocally that Hassan El Sayed had no influence over the content, message, or framing of the film. As producers, we bear full responsibility for the artistic and editorial decisions behind the work.”
The filmmakers also argued, “Film is a medium of artistic expression, and participation in a film, especially in such a minor capacity, must never be grounds for detention or prosecution. To hold an individual criminally liable for a brief, acting role constitutes a serious violation of fundamental human rights, including the right to freedom of expression and artistic participation.”
The letter to Egyptian prosecutor-general Mohamed Shawky Ayyad outlines four key demands:
- The immediate and unconditional release of Hassan El Sayed
- The dropping of all charges against him
- Full access to his legal counsel and family
- Assurance of his safe return to his family in Denmark
Ayyad, appointed by President El-Sisi in 2023, has a background as an assistant minister of justice.
Amnesty International is appealing to the public for support on behalf of El Sayed by encouraging them to write to Ayyad. The model letter they provide mentions that, “Hassan El Sayed is currently detained in the 10th of Ramadan prison. His lawyer is barred from visiting him and can only meet him during online hearings. Hassan El Sayed’s family last visited him on 14 March, and while he remains physically stable, his mental health has been severely impacted by his detention.”
Hassan El Sayed has a notable filmography with over a dozen acting credits, including Cairo Conspiracy (2022), The Charmer (2017), and Flow (2014).
The letter from the Eagles of the Republic team addressed to the public prosecutor outlines their concerns and demands in detail:
Letter from producers of ‘Eagles of the Republic’
