Culture
08:34, 28-Feb-2018
Egypt pop star handed 6-month jail term over 'infectious' Nile River remarks
["china"]
Share
Copied
An Egyptian court sentenced on Tuesday singer Sherine Abdel-Wahab, known among
her fans as Sherine, to six months in jail over her previous remarks indicating
that drinking from the Nile River water causes illness.
In a concert in Sharjah of the United Arab Emirates last year, a fan asked
Sherine to sing her famous song about Nile River water and she jokingly answered
that "it would infect you with bilharzia," a parasitic disease that once
outbroke in Egypt. She also recommended that the fan should drink bottled water
instead.
Cairo Misdemeanour Court convicted her of spreading "false news."
File of Egyptian singer Sherine Abdel Wahhab performing on stage /VCG Photo
File of Egyptian singer Sherine Abdel Wahhab performing on stage /VCG Photo
The short video of Sherine's remarks went viral on social media websites
last November, which led to the pop star writing a statement of apology on her
Facebook page, describing her previous remarks as "a silly joke" that did not
mean to insult her country or offend her Egyptian fans.
"It was a silly joke and if time went back I wouldn't say it of course," she stated, adding "I am sorry."
Sherine, one of the most popular singers in the Arab world, is still free on
bail pending an appeal.
Source(s): Xinhua News Agency