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| Saad Lamjarred: Moroccan singer faces third rape charge | Saad Lamjarred: Moroccan singer faces third rape charge |
| (1 day later) | |
| Moroccan singer Saad Lamjarred will face a charge of rape following a complaint by a woman in southern France, officials say. | |
| On Tuesday he was placed under formal investigation over the alleged incident in a hotel in Saint-Tropez. | |
| The 33-year-old is already on bail over an alleged rape case dating back to 2016 and was arrested in 2010 on suspicion of another assault. | The 33-year-old is already on bail over an alleged rape case dating back to 2016 and was arrested in 2010 on suspicion of another assault. |
| His hit Lmaallem is the most-viewed song by an Arab artist on YouTube. | |
| It has been seen more than 650 million times. | It has been seen more than 650 million times. |
| Mr Lamjarred had been placed in police custody on Sunday. | |
| Prosecutors in the south-eastern city of Draguignan, near Saint-Tropez, had told AFP news agency the latest case was "complex" and involved two "radically opposed versions of events". | |
| But it was announced on Tuesday that Mr Lamjarred was now under formal investigation for rape and a magistrate would decide in the evening whether he would continue to be detained. | |
| What happened in the previous cases? | What happened in the previous cases? |
| Mr Lamjarred was first arrested on suspicion of beating and raping a woman in New York in 2010. He fled the US while on bail and has not returned since. | Mr Lamjarred was first arrested on suspicion of beating and raping a woman in New York in 2010. He fled the US while on bail and has not returned since. |
| Six years later, he was accused of physically assaulting and raping a young French woman in a hotel in Paris. He was released on bail with an electronic tag in April 2017 awaiting trial. | Six years later, he was accused of physically assaulting and raping a young French woman in a hotel in Paris. He was released on bail with an electronic tag in April 2017 awaiting trial. |
| Shortly before his release, French newspaper Le Parisien reported that a French-Moroccan woman had been physically assaulted by Mr Lamjarred in the Moroccan city of Casablanca two years earlier. | Shortly before his release, French newspaper Le Parisien reported that a French-Moroccan woman had been physically assaulted by Mr Lamjarred in the Moroccan city of Casablanca two years earlier. |
| She said she reported the incident to the police but later withdrew the complaint under pressure from her family. | She said she reported the incident to the police but later withdrew the complaint under pressure from her family. |
| What has the reaction been? | What has the reaction been? |
| Perhaps surprisingly in the age of #MeToo, previous cases against Mr Lamjarred have done little to damage his reputation among fans. | Perhaps surprisingly in the age of #MeToo, previous cases against Mr Lamjarred have done little to damage his reputation among fans. |
| When the singer was arrested in 2016, the Moroccan king himself intervened to cover the singer's legal fees. | When the singer was arrested in 2016, the Moroccan king himself intervened to cover the singer's legal fees. |
| Many of Mr Lamjarred's fans maintain the singer was the victim of a "plot" by neighbouring Algeria, which has strained relations with Morocco. | Many of Mr Lamjarred's fans maintain the singer was the victim of a "plot" by neighbouring Algeria, which has strained relations with Morocco. |
| Moroccan media even showed footage of small protests "in solidarity" with the singer during his detention. | Moroccan media even showed footage of small protests "in solidarity" with the singer during his detention. |
| The first song he released one year after the alleged incident - and dedicated to the king - showed just how popular he remained, gaining over 140m views. | The first song he released one year after the alleged incident - and dedicated to the king - showed just how popular he remained, gaining over 140m views. |
| What about the victims? | What about the victims? |
| The victim of the alleged assault in Paris spoke out in November last year, when she uploaded a video on YouTube (in French), and detailed the abuse she had experienced online. | The victim of the alleged assault in Paris spoke out in November last year, when she uploaded a video on YouTube (in French), and detailed the abuse she had experienced online. |
| "My name is Laura Prioul, I'm 21 years old, and it has been one year since I was physically attacked, hit and raped. | "My name is Laura Prioul, I'm 21 years old, and it has been one year since I was physically attacked, hit and raped. |
| "For the past year I've been hiding from the media, hiding from everyone, that everyone's been talking about me." | "For the past year I've been hiding from the media, hiding from everyone, that everyone's been talking about me." |
| She recounted details of the alleged assault and described the death threats she received after her identity was revealed online. | She recounted details of the alleged assault and described the death threats she received after her identity was revealed online. |
| "So many people were talking about me, insulting me, and no-one supported me apart from my family and friends." | |
| Mr Lamjarred has denied Laura Prioul's allegation of rape. | Mr Lamjarred has denied Laura Prioul's allegation of rape. |