Ahmed Abou Zahra: "My father's pension was suspended after he was mistakenly listed as deceased
Ahmed Abou Zahra: "My father has been living quietly away from the spotlight since his retirement"
Ahmed Abou Zahra: "The family has grown used to occasional death rumors about my father appearing from time to time"
In a case that sparked widespread outrage on social media, Dr. Ahmed Abou Zahra, the son of renowned Egyptian actor Abdel Rahman Abou Zahra, revealed that his father's pension was suspended by the Pension Authority after receiving an official notification from the Civil Registry declaring him deceased—despite the fact that he is still alive, fully conscious, and living quietly away from the spotlight since retiring from acting in 2023.
Through a post on his official Facebook account, Ahmed expressed his shock, writing: "This is not a birthday post—this is about a law from the Mamluk era and a complete lack of technology in the world!" He described the incident as "an unexpected and unacceptable shock."
He explained that while the family had grown used to occasional death rumors about his father, they never imagined it would escalate to an official government body declaring him dead and halting his pension.
Civil Registry Declares the Actor Dead
Ahmed noted that the Pension Authority informed the family that the suspension of the pension was based on an official notice from the Civil Registry. They were given two options to prove that his father is still alive: either the actor must personally visit the pension office, or a representative from the authority must visit him at home.
The family refused both options, asserting that Abdel Rahman Abou Zahra’s health condition does not allow him to leave the house, and they are unwilling to let strangers into their home, out of respect for his privacy and comfort.
Questions Raised About the Fate of Ordinary Citizens
Ahmed concluded his post with a poignant message: "If this is happening to a well-known and respected artist like Abdel Rahman Abou Zahra, what happens to an ordinary citizen who chooses to live out his final days in peace and dignity?"
It’s worth noting that Abdel Rahman Abou Zahra officially retired from acting in 2023, following a series of health and emotional challenges—particularly after the death of his wife. Since then, he has chosen to withdraw from public life and focus on his personal well-being away from the limelight.
