Lebanon sets trial date for singer Fadl Shaker in military court

Lebanon's military court has scheduled the first hearing in the trial of Lebanese singer Fadl Shaker for 25 November, marking a major step in a series of legal cases that have followed him since the 2013 Abra clashes.

The court, headed by Brigadier General Bassam Fayad, will begin examining four cases filed against Shaker, the National News Agency reported.

The charges include belonging to an armed group, financing the network of fugitive cleric Ahmad al-Assir, possessing unlicensed weapons and undermining the authority and prestige of the state.

Shaker surrendered to Lebanese army intelligence early last month after spending more than ten years inside the Ain al Hilweh Palestinian refugee camp, where he had taken refuge following deadly clashes between al Assir’s supporters and the Lebanese army in Sidon in June 2013.

During those battles, which left at least 18 soldiers and 11 militants dead, Shaker appeared in a video taunting the army and insulting soldiers. The footage later became a central piece of evidence in cases opened against him.

He was tried in absentia and sentenced in 2020 to 22 years in prison for providing support of a "terrorist group".

As part of the understanding that led to his surrender, those sentences are expected to be dropped, clearing the way for a fresh trial on new charges related to his alleged crimes against the military.

Shaker appeared in court in Beirut on 22 October for a preliminary questioning session before Criminal Court judge Bilal al Dinnawi.

Lebanese media reported that this session also covered a complaint filed by Hilal Hammoud, a senior member of the Resistance Brigades linked to Hezbollah, in connection with the Abra clashes.

Shaker was one of the Arab world's best-known singers in the early 2000s, rising to fame with a smash hit in 2002 before abruptly withdrawing from music a decade later.

In 2012, he aligned himself with al Assir and publicly urged support for the fight against the Syrian regime, a shift that shocked fans and reshaped his public identity.

Despite his legal troubles, Shaker briefly returned to the spotlight earlier this year when he and his son Mohammed released a song that went viral and amassed more than 100 million views on YouTube.