French appeal court hands Saad Lamjarred 10-year prison sentence

Saturday 26 - 14:29

Moroccan singer Saad Lamjarred has been sentenced to 10 years in prison following an appeal trial in France over a case dating back to 2016.

The decision was handed down by the Assize Court of Appeal in Créteil after proceedings held from September 17 to 25. Lamjarred, who had attended the hearings while under judicial supervision, was subsequently taken into custody following the verdict.

Appeal court increases sentence from 2023 conviction

The latest ruling concerns allegations arising from an incident involving Laura Prioul in Paris in 2016. Lamjarred was initially convicted in February 2023 by the Paris Assize Court and sentenced to six years in prison for rape and aggravated violence.

He appealed that conviction, leading to the proceedings in Créteil this month. The appeal court ultimately imposed a 10-year prison sentence, representing an increase from the punishment handed down at first instance.

Lamjarred has consistently denied the rape allegations. During the original proceedings, he acknowledged physical contact with Prioul but disputed the account that led to his conviction.

A case that has remained in the French courts for a decade

The appeal proceedings were conducted behind closed doors and focused on the circumstances surrounding the 2016 events.

The case has attracted sustained attention because of Lamjarred's prominence in the Arab music industry and the length of the judicial process. The appeal hearing had previously been postponed to allow additional investigative work before being scheduled for September 2026.

The prosecution had sought an eight-year prison term during the appeal proceedings, according to the information reported in connection with the verdict. The court ultimately imposed a longer sentence.

Another French case remains under appeal

The Créteil ruling is not the only criminal case involving Lamjarred currently before the French justice system.

In a separate case concerning events near Saint-Tropez in 2018, the Assize Court of the Var sentenced the singer to five years in prison in May 2026. Lamjarred has appealed that decision, meaning the sentence in that case remains subject to further judicial proceedings.

The two cases concern different incidents and should therefore be considered separately within the French judicial process.

A major development in the singer's legal affairs

The latest verdict marks a significant new stage in a series of legal proceedings that have followed Lamjarred for years.

For the Moroccan artist, who built a large international audience through his music, the 10-year sentence adds a new chapter to a case that began in 2016 and has already gone through an initial conviction and an appeal.

With the Créteil proceedings now concluded, attention will also turn to the separate Saint-Tropez case, where Lamjarred's appeal remains pending.