Jahnilla Richina Sultan

Court issues new verdict in Amr Diab slapping case

An Egyptian appeals court has decided to reserve its verdict in the case of singer Amr Diab being accused of slapping a young man at a concert. The court has set February 26 as the date for announcing its decision. A misdemeanor court previously fined Diab LE200 (approximately four US dollars) and ordered him to pay LE10,000 in compensation for assaulting the victim, Saad Osama, at a wedding Diab was performing at. During Wednesday’s hearing, Diab’s lawyer argued for his acquittal, claiming that his actions were in self-defense and did not exceed the necessary boundaries. The defense cited articles in the penal code that permit the use of force to repel a physical assault.