Bolanle Akanji
Moderator
A Tunisian rapper, Alaa Yacoubi, aka Weld El 15 , who went on the run after receiving a 21-month jail sentence in absentia in August for making songs considered insulting to the police was sentenced to four months in jail at a retrial.
Weld El 15, had surrendered to the authorities at the courthouse and was found guilty of affront to public decency and insulting behaviour towards public servants in his songs on Thursday.
The court ordered him taken straight to the cells to serve his sentence.
His defence lawyer Ghazi Mrabet said wants an appeal saying "I am concerned Weld El 15 may suffer bodily harm in prison."
Weld El 15 was sentenced alongside fellow rapper Ahmed Ben. They were originally convicted without being notified of the trial.
Ahmed a.k.a Klay BBJ has been retried twice and later to be acquitted in October, while Weld El 15 went into hiding until Thursday.
"I'm ready for anything, I hope that Tunisia has a justice system and not an injustice system," the rapper told the French News Agency AFP.
"I handed myself in because I can't spend my life on the run, but I'm not ready to go back to prison,"He added.
The rappers were arraigned for songs including one titled 'The Police Are Dogs'. they performed together at a concert in Hammamet, East Tunis.
Weld El 15, had surrendered to the authorities at the courthouse and was found guilty of affront to public decency and insulting behaviour towards public servants in his songs on Thursday.
The court ordered him taken straight to the cells to serve his sentence.
His defence lawyer Ghazi Mrabet said wants an appeal saying "I am concerned Weld El 15 may suffer bodily harm in prison."
Weld El 15 was sentenced alongside fellow rapper Ahmed Ben. They were originally convicted without being notified of the trial.
Ahmed a.k.a Klay BBJ has been retried twice and later to be acquitted in October, while Weld El 15 went into hiding until Thursday.
"I'm ready for anything, I hope that Tunisia has a justice system and not an injustice system," the rapper told the French News Agency AFP.
"I handed myself in because I can't spend my life on the run, but I'm not ready to go back to prison,"He added.
The rappers were arraigned for songs including one titled 'The Police Are Dogs'. they performed together at a concert in Hammamet, East Tunis.
