2018 saw actress Rania Youssef in hot waters with Egyptian courts over a dress she wore on the red carpet. Just a few months into 2019, and yet another Egyptian public figure is making headlines. This time it’s singer Sherine Abdel-Wahab, who has officially been banned from performing in her native country.
The renowned singer and The Voice judge, who is known across the region by her first name, was accused of “insulting Egypt” “spreading false news,” and “inviting suspicious human rights organizations to interfere in Egypt’s affairs” by lawyer, Samir Sabry, who has a history of prosecuting high-profile celebrities in Egyptian courts.
The move comes after a video was widely circulated of the singer performing in Bahrain, saying “Here I can say whatever I want. In Egypt, anyone who talks gets imprisoned,”.
Egypt’s Musicians Union, led by singer Hany Shaker, responded to the viral video by banning her from performing in the North African nation as of Friday.
This isn’t the first time Sherine has found herself in this position. She was sentenced to three months in jail last year over a frivolous joke she had made regarding the Nile’s water quality at a concert. The singer was accused of ‘insulting the Egyptian state’. The conviction was eventually overturned, however.
