via Le Matin

Last Friday, the Parisian court officially released a statement concerning the arrest of the Moroccan singer Saad Lamjarred. This comes from him sexually assaulting a Parisian woman in 2016, proven by pictures and hotel staff who testified in court. Despite arguments in the singer’s defence that he was under the influence of alcohol and several substances, the Paris court sentenced him to serve six years in prison as punishment.

Still, the reactions from the (elite) public have been surprising, with some showing pity for the convicted rapist. If you’re unsure what we’re talking about, read on!

Saad Lamjarred’s Past and Egyptians’ Backlash on His Concerts in Egypt

via English Ahram

Before his allegations, Lamjarred was considered a massive artist in the Middle East and started his early days with much fame. However, his reputation was soon tarnished, with multiple accusations of violence, sexual assault, and rape against him by women in different countries. Lamjarred has been involved in four legal cases of sexual assault and rape; he was even arrested in 2010 and 2018 but was bailed soon after.

Despite the public controversy surrounding Lamjarred, the Moroccan singer did not put his music career on hold. Following his scheduling of concerts in Egypt, the artist faced heavy backlash and criticism from the Egyptian public. In fact, his first concert was cancelled due to the load of reproval that surfaced on social media. His second concert in Sharm El Sheikh nearly faced a similar fate, with magazines and influencers trending the hashtag “مش_عايزين_سعد_لمجرد_في_مصر”, which translates to “we don’t want Saad Lamjarred in Egypt”.

The Reactions of the Public and Celebrities

While we’re proud to say that most Egyptians did not ignore the allegations against Saad Lamjarred in the past, a surprising number of Egyptian celebrities and their spouses have surprised and disappointed us with their reactions to the singer’s arrest in Paris.

A post by Speak Up shared the multitude of Arab and Egyptian celebrities who have publicly made it known that they support the singer and are saddened by his arrest. Some Arab singers went as far as to call him innocent and prayed that he be released soon in Instagram stories. It’s safe to say that we didn’t expect to see so many of our favourites on Lamjarred’s list of supporters, and we’re saddened that they’ve chosen to ignore the accusing women and the evidence presented at the Parisian court.