The conviction of Moroccan singer Saad Lamjarred to six years in prison in France for rape has sparked extensive reactions on social media, leading to a divide on his case. Some sympathize with the star as they are not convinced by the testimony of the French complainant, while others argue that the "Lm3allem" (The Teacher) singer received a fair trial but failed to prove his innocence. The 37-year-old singer faced allegations of raping a French woman at a hotel on the Champs-Élysées in October 2016, "while under the influence of alcohol and cocaine."
On Thursday, the French public prosecutor requested a seven-year prison sentence for Lamjarred, along with a five-year ban on entering France after serving his sentence. The Moroccan singer denied in court in Paris that he raped the French woman, Laura, or that he had any sexual relations with her.
Moroccan artists have shown solidarity with Lamjarred, as they are not convinced of his guilt in the case, including Hatem Amour, Zouhir Bahawi, Dounia Batma, actor Rachid Wali, and actress Souad Kheyi. Supporters expressed their backing for Lamjarred and his family during this difficult time, with others discussing their relationship with the artist.
Several social media users in Morocco expressed solidarity with Lamjarred and some questioned the credibility of the complainant's testimony. Doubters cited examples of several celebrities facing fabricated or exaggerated rape allegations, sometimes aimed at dragging them to court and imposing heavy fines, damaging their careers. Incidents of this nature have been recorded involving major stars such as Portuguese Cristiano Ronaldo in the United States and Brazilian Neymar in France.
Years ago, a video showed a woman physically assaulting Neymar in a French hotel until he responded, leading to the case being presented in court. However, Neymar managed to prove his innocence with a video recording that documented the entire incident, showing that he had not touched the woman who initiated the attack for no understandable reason.
Some supporters of Lamjarred faced criticism for siding with someone convicted by the judiciary, after undergoing a fair trial where he was given ample opportunity to speak, and he did not deny being in the same room as the female complainant.
Moroccan journalist Mustafa Al-Fenn wrote in a post on Facebook that Saad Lamjarred fell victim to drugs, despite his significant talent. Supporters were chastised, as their stance was described as "personal," indicating they sided with someone they know without considering the circumstances of the case and the existence of a female complainant.
The complainant stated that she suffered psychologically for years due to the case and was subjected to a smear campaign. Critics focused on the fact that the artist placed himself in "trouble" as he could not protect the immense success he achieved and instead immersed himself in the realm of drugs.
