Top star loses court appeal

One of the biggest comedians in the Arab world has been jailed for three months for ‘offending Islam’.

An Egyptian court has upheld a conviction against 71-year-old Adel Imam, and fined him £105.

The case was brought by Asran Mansour, a lawyer with ties to Islamist groups and described as ‘untlaconservative’.

The lawyer also accused the actor of frequently mocking authorities and politicians.

Imam has made dozens of films in his 40-year career, but those which upset Mansour are said to have included The Terrorist, in which he played a wanted extremist who found refuge with a middle class, moderate family, and Morgan Ahmed Morgan, in which he portrayed a corrupt businessman who tries to buy a university diploma.

One of his most popular roles was in a 1998 satirical play, el-Zaeem, in which he played an Arab dictator.

Imam – whose films had been approved for screening in Egypt by the censors under the deposed Mubarak regime – has the right to appeal.

Published: 25 Apr 2012