Khaberni - The Economic Court ruled to punish the popular festival singer Islam Kabonga with imprisonment for 6 months, on charges of publishing musical clips which included content considered as inciting thuggery and violence, in addition to violating societal values.
The case papers revealed that the clips published by the accused through his various social media accounts contained terms and expressions described as indecent, alongside content that encourages violent behaviors and thuggery, which the investigative authorities considered a departure from the general controls of publishing and artistic content.
The investigations added that the competent authorities monitored these clips and tracked their source, before taking the necessary legal measures and referring the accused to the Economic Court, which looked into the case after completing the investigations and hearing the statements of the concerned parties.
The rationale of the verdict and reactions
The court based its verdict on the terms and content in the clips that violated norms, considering that what was published on digital platforms represents an abuse of the use of social media to spread unregulated content. It affirmed that the penalty came within the framework of general deterrence and protecting public taste and societal values.
The verdict comes amid repeated controversy about the content of some festival songs and their impact on the youth, especially with the wide spread of this type of music across digital platforms, prompting the concerned authorities to scrutinize the published content and take legal actions when necessary.
