Egyptian singer sentenced for Nile joke

Wahab’s was sentenced after she made a joke about how drinking from the Nile would cause illness. She has been allowed to stay out of prison pending an appeal.

The sentencing comes after a video of a 2017 live performance in the UAE surfaced in which a fan requests Wahab to perform her popular song ‘Mashrebtesh Men Nilha?’ (Have You Drunk From the Nile?). In a sarcastic response to the fan, Wahab says: “Drinking from the Nile will get me schistosomiasis. Drink Evian instead.”

The singer apologised on Facebook in November last year, saying she did not remember making the comments.

“I don’t recall saying that, because of course I don’t mean it, and it doesn’t reflect my personal feelings towards my nation. I’m sorry,” she wrote.

“My beloved Egypt and its children: I apologise from all my heart for any pain I may have caused you. It was a bad joke that I would never use if I go back in time.”

Schistosomiasis, also known as bilharzia, is a parasite that spreads through water. When it finds a host it causes abdominal pain, itchy skin, a rash and in some cases death. According to the World Health Organisation, the parasite has been prevalent throughout the country’s history. The Egyptian government has been making efforts to contain schistosomiasis since 1922.

Wahab is among two other female artists who have been sentenced in Egypt recently. Laila Amer and Shaimaa Ahmed both received jail terms for inciting debauchery and immorality with their music videos. Amer was sentenced also on Tuesday to two years' imprisonment for the video ‘Bos Omak’ in which she dances while allegedly making sexually suggestive gestures.

Ahmed was last year sentenced to three years in prison for eating a banana in the ‘I Have Issues’ video. The BBC reported that Ahmed’s sentence was reduced to one year after an appeal on Monday.