Egyptian singer Laila Amer investigated over 'obscene' song
Egyptian singer Laila Amer investigated over 'obscene' song
Another Egyptian singer has been targeted by authorities for alleged 'immorality' with Laila Amer's song Bos Ommak landing her in hot water.
2 min read
Many Egyptians sense a government crackdown on displays of female sexuality [Getty]
Egyptian singer Laila Amer faces a court case after releasing a song whose title makes a pun an Egyptian swear word. The singer is expected to be arrested for indecency following the investigation.
Bos Ommak, meaning "look at your mum", rhymes with a commonly used insult that many have found offensive.
The singer released the song and its corresponding music video earlier this week, which rapidly went viral and sparked outrage across the country.
The head of Egypt's Syndicate for Musicians, Hany Chaker, reportedly called on authorities to investigate the matter and arrest Amer.
The director of the Cairo Centre for Legal Studies also reportedly filed a legal claim against the singer with the country's head prosecutor.
He accused Amer's music video of being a "moral disaster", due to her movements he deemed with "sexual gesturing". He also filed a complaint against the video's director, Samir al-Maraghi, and the production company, Media Art.
"In light of suffering from a decline in the morals of society […] such works contributed significantly to the level our society has reached, including the spread of sexual harassment and inappropriate words, especially as we are a religious community where the constitution emphasises commitment to the principles of the Islamic religion," said Mahran.
| The song, entitled "Bos Ommak", meaning "look what your mother did", rhymes with an Egyptian curse that many have found deeply offensive |
"The clip is a disgrace to public modesty and incites immorality, violating Article 269 of the Penal Code," he added.
In the music video, Amer can be seen belly dancing on a TV screen as a man looks on, as well as doing traditional household chores such as cooking and laundry.
The singer went on Egypt's Dream TV on Friday in an attempt to defend her song, claiming that the meaning had been misconstrued.
The latest reports come as part of a series of prosecutions against female pop singers in the conservative country.
Several weeks previously, Egyptian popstar Shyma was sentenced to two years in jail for releasing a music video in which she appeared in her underwear, which was slammed by prosecutors as "promoting debauchery".
More In News
