Video: Neveen Shalaby Tackles Corruption in New Doc "Al Zendiq"

Director Neveen Shalaby has finished up her new documentary "Al Zendiq" (The Heretic). Shalaby explains that the film looks at corruption within the Egyptian judiciary, from the immunities granted in the courts themselves to judges abusing their immunity outside of the courts as well. Shalaby says she also exposes favoritism in the appointment of prosecutors and advisors, despite poor grades in college. 

Neveen said she decided to focus on a number of corruption cases currently being played out in Egyptian society, like the case of Ahmed el-Zend and the illegally acquired land in the north coast. The young director, now a freelance filmmaker for the United Nations Development Programme in Egypt, also talked to the original owners of the land. 
The film also examines the case of Mortada Mansour, a Mubarak stalwart and an ex-judge who remained in hiding for four months at his daughter's husband's house, also a judge, in order to escape a very lax arrest attempt. Mansour was sentenced to prison time in connection with the Battle of the Camel case. 
Shalaby added that the message she hopes to send with the film is that it is not possible to challenge the rule of the Muslim Brotherhood as long as corruption is so deeply embedded in the Egyptian judiciary.