Iraqi Social Media Erupts in Protest Over Saad Lamjarred Concert Amid Sexual Assault Allegations

After the announcement by the entertainment company Sindbad Land of the concert of the Moroccan star in the Iraqi capital, Baghdad, the hashtag (in Arabic) "Saad Lamjarred’s concert is rejected" has gone viral on social media, reports The New Arab. Iraqi Internet users condemn the fact that a man accused of rape and harassment is allowed to perform in Baghdad. They call on the authorities in the country to follow in the footsteps of Egypt. The latter had, in 2020, canceled a concert by the interpreter of M3allem that was to take place in Cairo, after a similar call for a boycott.

The event organizing company has, for the time being, made no comment about a possible cancellation of the concert. In a statement to Al-Araby Al-Jadeed, an anonymous source from the company assured that tickets were still on sale despite the online campaign and that the concert was not planned to be canceled. The campaign is "not innocent," said the same source, claiming that the company was deliberately attacked.