In the event you needed to be reminded that we’re lucky to be living in this country, let me submit to you the case of the Egyptian comedian. Forty-year veteran comic actor Adel Imam — one of the biggest entertainers in the Arab world — has been given a three-month jail sentence, having “offended Islam, its symbols, including beards and the jilbab, a loose-fitting garment worn by some Muslims,” according to the Guardian.
The case was filed on the heels of a parliamentary election, where Islamists won most of the seats. “I think the lawyer who filed the case against Imam is taking advantage of the current circumstances with Islamists gaining power in Egypt,” said Nabil Abdel Fattah, an analyst and at al-Ahram Centre for Political and Strategic Studies in Cairo. This theory makes sense, seeing as the charges against the comedian are not against any relatively new projects. The filing cites a number of his performances and appearances he’d made throughout his long career.
For now, Imam remains free and has one month to appeal. If he doesn’t appeal or if his appeal is denied, he’ll be expected to serve the full three-month sentence.
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