Egyptian graphic designer sentenced to prison for plagiarizing Russian artist’s works

CAIRO – 31 January 2024: The Cairo Economic Court has handed down a verdict against Egyptian graphic designer Ghada Wali, sentencing her to six months in prison and imposing a fine of LE 100,000 for plagiarizing the artwork of Russian artist Georgy Korasov.

In addition to the prison sentence and fine, the court has set a bail amount of LE 10,000 for Wali. However, the court is not final and can be appealed.

The controversy started in 2022 when Korasov accused Wali of copying four of his artworks, which depicted ancient Egyptian civilization. He asserted that Wali had used these artworks without his permission in murals displayed in the Cairo Metro.

Wali has vehemently denied the accusations, arguing that similarities in artistic styles can sometimes lead to a sort of resemblances in designs.

In July 2022, Cairo’s subsidiary of the French company RATP Dev, responsible for operating the third line of the Cairo Metro, ordered the removal of the plagiarized wall murals from the Koliet El-Banat station.

The National Tunnels Authority and RATP Dev Mobility Cairo issued apologies to Korasov and emphasized their full respect for intellectual property rights of all parties involved.

They also stated their intention to take legal action against Wali’s Studio, the advertising company associated with the Egyptian artist, for this wrongdoing.