A little-known Egyptian pop singer was sentenced to two years in prison for running afoul of the nation’s morality laws after releasing a music video in which she seductively ate a banana.
25-year-old Shaimaa Ahmed, known as Shyma, was convicted of “inciting debauchery and publishing an indecent film.” The video’s director was also hit with the two-year sentence.
“Singer Shyma presents a lesson in depravity to youths,” thundered the Youm 7 newspaper in an article after the video was released.
In a Facebook posting last month, Shyma wrote that she had not anticipated the backlash against her video.
“I apologize to all the people who saw the clip and were upset by it and took it in an inappropriate way,” she wrote.
It was meant to be taken in an “inappropriate” way, but to suggest she did something awful by making a suggestive video tells you everything you need to know about a legal system inspired by religion, where blasphemy is still a crime, atheists often remain in hiding, women can be jailed for debauchery, and leaving Islam is considering a crime deserving of a death sentence.
Ahmed can appeal the ruling, but there’s no reason to think it will get overturned.
(Thanks to Brian for the link)
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