Saad Lamjarred handed 10-year prison sentence on appeal in Paris rape case

This update focuses on Saad Lamjarred appeal sentence. The 10-year prison sentence handed to Saad Lamjarred on appeal in Paris marks a major judicial turning point for the Moroccan singer, closely followed by audiences in Morocco and among Moroccans living abroad.

Saad Lamjarred appeal sentence increased to 10 years

The appeals court in Créteil sentenced singer Saad Lamjarred on Saturday to 10 years in prison for rape, increasing the sentence handed down at his first trial.

The artist, hugely popular across the Arab world, had initially been sentenced in 2023 to six years in prison by the Paris criminal court. He is now 41 years old.

According to the public prosecutor’s office, quoted by AFP, the court found him guilty of aggravated rape, taking into account his state of intoxication at the time of the events. Prosecutors had requested eight years behind bars, and the court went beyond that request.

The facts examined and the next legal steps

The case dates back to 2016. French justice found Saad Lamjarred guilty of raping a young woman, Laura P., then 20 years old, in a hotel room in Paris. The two had met in a nightclub. He was 31 at the time.

The Créteil court of appeal accompanied its ruling with an immediate committal order, meaning the singer was taken into custody at the end of the hearing.

The artist’s lawyers are challenging the decision. One of them, Marie Burguburu, told AFP that an appeal to the Court of Cassation would be filed. Saad Lamjarred continues to assert his innocence.

One of the complainant’s lawyers, David Chemmi, told AFP that the severity of the sentence could be explained by what he described as the defendant’s “worrying profile” and by a very aggressive defence strategy targeting the victim, investigators and experts.

A singer involved in several criminal cases

This is not the only case involving Saad Lamjarred before the French courts. In May, he was sentenced to five years in prison by the criminal court in Draguignan, in the Var region, for the rape of a young woman in 2018 near Saint-Tropez. He has appealed that ruling as well.

The appeal trial in Créteil was held behind closed doors and had been postponed in June 2025 to allow further investigations. The closed-door hearings added to the sensitivity of a case that has been widely covered by media on both sides of the Mediterranean.

Impact on his image among Moroccan audiences

For many Moroccans, including those living in Europe, North America or the Gulf, Saad Lamjarred has long been one of the most listened-to artists. His songs often accompanied summer visits back home, weddings, family gatherings and trips between Morocco and their country of residence.

With this new appeal sentence, the singer’s professional future looks seriously compromised. Tours, concerts and major events appear unlikely in the short and medium term, especially in Europe where his legal troubles are playing out.

For Moroccans living abroad, the case is also a reminder that celebrity status does not place anyone above the law, particularly when serious accusations such as rape are involved. It feeds into a wider debate over how to deal with artists accused or convicted of violence in public life and in everyday playlists.

A case closely watched by Moroccans worldwide

Beyond the individual fate of Saad Lamjarred, this appeal sentence has reignited broader discussions:

• how society looks at sexual violence and the credibility of victims’ testimonies;
• the responsibility that public figures and celebrities carry;
• how Moroccan and Arab audiences choose whether or not to keep supporting certain artists.

The coming months will be shaped by the appeal to the Court of Cassation announced by the defence. But for now, the 10-year appeal sentence for the Moroccan singer stands as a decisive chapter in a long-running and highly sensitive case.

For more context, readers can follow Canal212 news for Moroccans abroad.

For official updates, readers can check the relevant official source.