No offensive scenes to Sudan in vexed Egyptian series: SCMR

CAIRO – 21 May 2018: Egypt's state-run Supreme Council for Media Regulation (SCMR) issued a statement late Sunday refuting Sudan’s allegation over offensive scenes in an Egyptian TV series, called "Abu Omar Al Masry", aired on ON network during the month of Ramadan.

Makram Mohamed Ahmed, the head of the SCMR, asserted that the council is keen on maintaining the strong historic relation between Egypt and Sudan, adding that it has examined the disputed series’ first three episodes to find that there were no vehicles with Sudanese plates as claimed by Khartoum.

The SCMR noted that the Egyptian series began with a disclaimer that read: “The story, all names, characters, and incidents portrayed in this production are fictitious. No identification with actual persons (living or deceased), places, buildings, and products is intended or should be inferred.”

Moreover, the ON network management issued a previous statement to reply to Sudan’s objection to "Abu Omar Al Masry".

"The series script was written based on the scriptwriter's imagination and does not contain scenes or hints against the Sudanese government or the Sudanese people; the series has nothing to do with the Egyptian political stances towards Sudan. Egypt is always keen to strengthen its relation with the Sudanese government and its friendly people," ON’s statement read.

ON added that the creators of the series are well aware of the important role art plays in bringing people together rather than stirring up crises among them, stressing the importance of the strategic partnership between Egypt and Sudan and the vitality of strengthening brotherly ties between the two countries, maximizing areas of mutual cooperation.

"The two countries share a long history of strong relations on the social, cultural, political and economic levels," said ON’s statement.

This comes after the Sudanese Foreign Ministry summoned the Egyptian ambassador in Khartoum Saturday to protest the Egyptian series "Abu Omar Al Masry", broadcasted currently by ON E satellite channel.

The Sudanese Foreign Ministry spokesperson, Gareeb Allah Khedr, said that the Egyptian Ramadan drama conveys a negative image about Sudan, portraying it as a country that hosts Egyptian terrorists.

On the other hand, “Abu Omar Al Masry” makers refuted all the Sudanese accusations in a press statement issued Saturday, stating that the series is based on a fictional scenario that does not intend to link Sudan to terrorism.

The series revolves around an Egyptian lawyer named Fakhreldin, played by prominent actor Ahmed Ezz, who founds an association, along with a group of other lawyers, to provide solutions to the problems of modest citizens who cannot afford big-shot lawyers. However, it is not long until they provoke a member of the security service who ruins their dreams of an ideal society. After Fakhreldin survives an assassination attempt in which his cousin is killed, he travels to Paris; then to Sudan where he becomes the leader of an armed Islamic group and returns for revenge. The series is written by Ezzedine Shoukry Fishere and Mariam Naoum and co-stars Arwa Gouda and Fathy Abdel Wahab.