Singer on trial in UAE for insulting Islam on Instagram

Abu Dhabi - The Filipina woman denied the charge when she appeared in court.

An amateur singer went on trial in Abu Dhabi accused of posting a blasphemous video on Instagram.
Public prosecutors in Abu Dhabi referred the Filipina woman to the Criminal Court of First Instance after cybercrime officials spotted the video that was deemed insulting to Islam.
The video, which was posted on Instagram by the singer, showed her singing and pointing her left hand to a mosque that is visible in the backgrounds according to prosecutors.
Prosecutors charged the Filipina with blasphemy. She, however, denied the charge when she appeared in court.
Her lawyer Nashwa Al Qubaisi argued that the charges pressed against her client were unreasonable and that there was no criminality in her actions.
She argued that there was not enough evidence presented by prosecutors to prove that her client had intentions of insulting Islam through her video.
The lawyer had handed the judge a comprehensive document containing her client's defence and also asked that the woman be cleared of the charges because she was innocent.
The trial was adjourned to a future date.
ismail@khaleejtimes.com

• Abu Dhabi