Adel Imam Sentenced to Jail for Insulting Islam

Cairo: One of the Arab world's most famous comic actors Adel Imam has received a three-month jail sentence for insulting Islam in films and plays.


Imam, who has frequently poked fun at authorities and politicians during a 40-year career, has one month to appeal and will remain free until that process is concluded.


The case was brought by Asran Mansour, a lawyer with ties to Islamist groups, judicial sources said. The sentence came weeks after Islamists won most seats in a parliamentary election.

Mansour accused the is 72 years old actor of offending Islam and its symbols, including beards and the jilbab, a loose-fitting garment worn by some Muslims. According to some reports, Imam was found guilty for a 2007 movie in which he plays a corrupt businessman and a 1998 play about an Arab dictator.

In the 1980's, Imam was sentenced to three months in jail for defaming lawyers in a film. That ruling was later overturned.

When asked about if he fears the rise of Islamic movements in Egypt, Imam told Variety Arabia, “We are not a group of ‘infidels’ to be afraid of religious movements. I trust the moderation of the Egyptian people who are religious by nature.” He also noted that he himself has an affinity with the Muslim Brotherhood.

Imam was awarded a lifetime achievement prize at the 2010 Doha film festival.