Final Ruling Convicts Omar Zahran: Court Upholds One-Year Prison Sentence in Shalimar Sharbatly Jewelry Case
On Tuesday, May 19th, 2026, Egypt’s Court of Cassation brought the case involving director Omar Zahran to a close by rejecting his appeal and upholding the one-year prison sentence with hard labor issued against him after he was convicted of seizing gold items and jewelry belonging to artist Shalimar Sharbatly, wife of filmmaker Khaled Youssef.
Mustafa Ramadan, attorney for Shalimar Sharbatly, confirmed that the Court of Cassation’s ruling is final and irrevocable, with no further avenues for appeal, stressing that the decision settled the case following the confirmation of the conviction.
Earlier, the Giza Misdemeanor Appeals Court had reviewed the case, registered under No. 7439 of 2024, Giza Misdemeanor Department, and amended the initial ruling issued against Omar Zahran by reducing the sentence from two years’ imprisonment to one year with hard labor.
The court also ordered the defendant to pay temporary civil compensation to the plaintiff amounting to EGP 40,000, a ruling that has now become final and enforceable following today’s decision by the Court of Cassation.
Artist Shalimar Sharbatly stated that the Court of Cassation’s decision to reject the appeal and uphold the ruling against Omar Zahran represents a victory for justice and the rule of law, affirming her full respect for the rulings of the Egyptian judiciary and her confidence in its integrity.
She added: “I went through a difficult period on both the emotional and human levels, but from the very beginning I believed that the truth would prevail and that justice would ultimately be served. Today’s final verdict restored my moral rights before anything else.”
Sharbatly further emphasized that throughout the case she was committed to handling the matter strictly through legal channels and away from media escalation, out of respect for the judiciary and public opinion. She described the ordeal as a painful and difficult experience both personally and emotionally.
She added that some malicious and resentful individuals, including media figures and legal commentators, had in her words been swept up in “a wave of media sensationalism.” Nevertheless, she said she remained fully confident from the outset in the fairness and integrity of the Egyptian judiciary, which ultimately vindicated her through a final and binding verdict.
Sharbatly concluded by reaffirming her deep respect for the Egyptian judicial system and expressing appreciation to everyone who supported and stood by her throughout the crisis.
