Egypt’s Culture Minister Resigns Following Final Plagiarism Verdict
Jihan Zaki steps down following Court of Cassation ruling on copyright infringement.
Egypt’s Culture Minister Jihan Zaki resigned on Tuesday, a move aimed at shielding the cabinet from the fallout of a final judicial ruling that convicted her of violating intellectual property rights. The resignation, accepted by Prime Minister Mostafa Madbouly, follows a protracted legal battle that has shadowed Zaki’s tenure since she assumed office in early 2026.
The Court of Cassation, Egypt’s highest judicial authority, issued a final and binding decision on Monday rejecting Zaki’s appeal. The court upheld a previous judgment from the Economic Court, which found Zaki liable for infringing upon the work of writer Suhair Mohamed Abdel Hamid. The ruling mandates a fine of 100,000 Egyptian pounds and the immediate withdrawal of the contested book from circulation.
In a statement released through the Prime Minister’s office, Zaki framed her departure as an act of respect for judicial rulings and a measure to “lift embarrassment from the government.” While she maintains her intent to pursue further legal remedies, such as a petition for reconsideration, the verdict marks the end of the standard litigation process in the Egyptian legal system.
The case centered on a technical evaluation by a tripartite committee appointed by the court. Their investigation confirmed that Zaki’s work contained literal copying and extensive structural similarities that exceeded the legal limits of permissible citation. The court emphasized that simply citing sources does not grant an author the right to replicate the core substance and arrangement of another’s original work.
Zaki’s appointment had been a point of contention within Egypt’s cultural and political circles. When she was named Culture Minister in February 2026, critics pointed to the then-pending litigation as a potential conflict for an official tasked with overseeing the nation’s creative and literary output. At the time, government spokespeople indicated that the administration would reassess her position only once a final and binding verdict was reached.
Under Egyptian law, the Court of Cassation does not re-examine the facts of a case but ensures that lower courts applied the law correctly. By affirming the Economic Court’s findings, the high court effectively closed the door on claims that the similarities were merely a result of shared historical data or common ideas, which do not typically enjoy legal protection.
