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Lebanese singer Fadl Shaker surrendered to the authorities on Saturday, according to a judicial source, after spending more than a decade in hiding following in-absentia convictions related to terrorism.
“This comes as a prelude to concluding his legal case,” a judicial source told Agence France-Presse (AFP).
The surrender was at the entrance to the Palestinian refugee camp, Ain al-Hilweh camp , where they had been hiding inside the camp for more than 12 years.
This camp is considered the biggest Palestinian camp in the country, where Lebanese authorities have no jurisdiction.
Shaker, a popular singer born to a Palestinian mother and a Lebanese father.
He announced his retirement from music in 2012 and withdrew from the artistic and media scenes.
In 2013, he was accused of taking part in clashes in the southern city of Sidon between Salafist cleric Ahmad al-Assir and his supporters and the Lebanese army, which left 17 soldiers dead.
While Shaker was a supporter of Assir, he denied involvement in the clashes .
The first verdict sentenced Shaker to 15 years in prison on charges of “complicity in terrorist acts committed by militants, with his knowledge, by providing them with logistical support.”
The second ruling imposed an additional seven-year prison sentence and a fine of five million Lebanese pounds (approximately $56) on him.
According to the Lebanese National News Agency, this was for “financing and supporting Ahmad al-Assir’s armed group, including covering the cost of weapons and ammunition.”
Under Lebanese law, an in absentia verdict remains in effect until the convicted person is arrested or voluntarily turns themselves in.
Once that occurs, the verdict is automatically annulled—as if it never existed—and a retrial is conducted.
According to the Associated Press (AP), Shaker’s surrender came after coordination between intermediaries and officials from the Lebanese Ministry of Defense.
Many view Shaker’s art as a reminder that music is not a luxury but nourishment for the soul, a weapon of awareness, and a means to resist collective amnesia.
His authenticity continues to serve as a refuge against superficiality and despair, which explains the joy that his return has brought to many fans.
Recently, Shaker released a collection of new songs, the most notable being “Keefak Ala Firaqi”—a special collaboration with his son, Mohammed Shaker.
The song, released in July 2025, achieved remarkable success on music platforms and social media.
After singer Shaker surrendered himself to the Lebanese army yesterday to facilitate the closure of his legal case, his son, Mohammad, indirectly commented on the event.
In an Instagram story posted yesterday, Mohammad quoted a verse from the Quran: “Indeed, with hardship comes ease.”
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