Ragheb Alama: "I firmly confirm that this statement was not issued by me nor by my official office" Ragheb Alama: "I communicated directly with Mr. Mustafa Kamel and all matters were clarified"

In his first official response to the decision by the Egyptian Musicians' Syndicate to temporarily suspend him from performing in Egypt and summon him for investigation, Lebanese singer Ragheb Alama issued a clarifying statement on his official X page. He denied any responsibility for the controversy surrounding his recent concert in the North Coast, affirming his full respect for Egyptian values and his long-standing audience in Egypt.

Alama clarified in his statement that a press release recently circulated and attributed to him is completely unrelated to him and was not issued by him or his official office. He urged the media to verify accuracy and rely only on information from his official channels.

He also revealed that he held direct communication with Mustafa Kamel, head of the Musicians' Syndicate, during which all circumstances were clarified with mutual respect. He pointed out that any misunderstood behavior is not the artist’s responsibility but lies with the event organizers or other relevant parties.

A Message of Love and Gratitude

Ragheb Alama sent a message of love and gratitude to his Egyptian fans, emphasizing that their affection has always been a core part of his success and that he deeply values his place in their hearts. He also noted that some edits were made to the videos and photos circulated from the concert, which contributed to amplifying the situation.

In response, the Musicians' Syndicate, led by Mustafa Kamel, issued an official statement condemning scenes from Alama’s recent concert they described as offensive and contrary to Egyptian customs and traditions. This prompted immediate measures, including his temporary suspension from work in Egypt pending an investigation at the Syndicate’s headquarters in Cairo.

Behaviors Unfit for Egyptian Society

The statement explained that over two days the Syndicate monitored behaviors that are inappropriate for Egyptian society and unprecedented on Egypt’s stages, which have been graced by the giants of Arab art. Mustafa Kamel stressed that the Syndicate will not tolerate any violations harming public values or presenting inappropriate images on Egyptian stages.

Besides suspending Ragheb Alama, the Syndicate decided to contact the Tourism Establishments Chamber to coordinate holding the venue hosting the concert accountable, as it shares responsibility for what occurred.

The statement concluded with Mustafa Kamel sending greetings to the Lebanese Artists' Syndicate head, Farid Bou Saïd, affirming that the incident will not affect the deep artistic and popular ties between Egypt and Lebanon.

Background of the Crisis

The crisis stems from Ragheb Alama’s recent concert in the North Coast area, which gained widespread interaction on social media. However, certain filmed scenes sparked controversy, prompting the Syndicate’s urgent intervention and decisive actions to preserve what it described as public decency.