Appeal hearings for Moroccan pop singer Saad Lamjarred began on March 23, 2026, at the Paris Court of Appeal. The singer is appealing a December 2023 conviction where he was sentenced to six years in prison for the rape of a young woman in a Paris hotel in 2016.
The trial, which is expected to last several days, is being closely followed by media and women's rights groups. The initial trial was a landmark case in France's #MeToo movement, with the plaintiff testifying about the alleged assault.
Lamjarred, who has maintained his innocence, was not present for the start of the appeal hearings. His legal team is seeking to overturn the conviction. The prosecution is expected to argue for the upheld of the original sentence.
The outcome of this appeal will be decisive for the legal saga that has spanned nearly a decade, impacting both the singer's career and broader conversations about accountability for public figures.
