Fadel Chaker yielded to Lebanon’s military intelligence service on Saturday, after spending more than a decade evading authorities over charges tied to his alleged involvement in the 2013 clashes in Sidon.
The pop star, who recently returned to the limelight with a string of singles, had retired from music in 2012, adopting the name Hajj Chaker and pledging allegiance to Lebanese Sunni firebrand cleric Ahmed al-Assir – a move that led him to take up arms with supporters during the fight against the Lebanese army that left 18 soldiers dead.
In 2020, Chaker was sentenced in absentia to 22 years of hard labour. He remained on the run and was believed to be hiding at the Ain al-Hilweh refugee camp – a self-governed enclave inaccessible to Lebanese police and army due to a reportedly unofficial understanding stemming from the now-annulled 1969 Cairo Agreement between the Lebanese government and the Palestine Liberation Organisation.
According to a report by AP, Lebanese military intelligence took Chaker from one of the entrances of the camp on Saturday evening. Officials, who spoke to news agency on the condition of anonymity, said Chaker handed himself over after discussions between mediators and representatives from the Lebanese Defense Ministry.
His 22-year sentence will be reportedly dropped and Chaker will now be questioned, preparing to stand trial on new charges. The singer had previously denied participating in the Sidon clashes, insisting that he never supported bloodshed.
His surrender on Saturday comes as the Lebanese army begins to seize weapons from the country’s 12 Palestinian refugee camps, which have long been beyond the reach of the country’s authorities.
Chaker had been largely out of the public eye for the past decade. However, he has made a marked resurgence this year with songs including Ahla Rasma, Elhob W Bass, Hawa Aljnoub, Rouh el Baher and Kifek 3a Fra2e, a duet with his son, Mohamed. The tracks have each amassed millions of views on Chaker’s official YouTube page.
His return to popular music comes after years spent exclusively recording Islamic hymns – a shift that began with 2018 comeback single Shab’an Min Al Tamtheel.
His re-emergence drew mixed reactions. While his comeback single, Shab’an Min Al Tamtheel, went regionally viral, the public backlash prompted Egyptian production company AG Group to remove the song from the television drama, Ladina Aqwal Okhra.
This year’s documentary series Ya Ghayeb … Fadel Chaker – featuring a sit-down interview in which the singer tells his side of the story – was also met with ambivalent critical reception, with some critics accusing it of downplaying the crimes he stands convicted of.
Chaker’s appeal, however, is undeniable, especially given the soaring numbers of his recent singles. Depending on how his legal status resolves, the singer’s career may a more official comeback, with co-ordinated promotional efforts and supporting concerts that will put him back into the mainstream.
Ten tax points to be aware of in 2026
1. Domestic VAT refund amendments: request your refund within five years
If a business does not apply for the refund on time, they lose their credit.
2. E-invoicing in the UAE
Businesses should continue preparing for the implementation of e-invoicing in the UAE, with 2026 a preparation and transition period ahead of phased mandatory adoption.
3. More tax audits
Tax authorities are increasingly using data already available across multiple filings to identify audit risks.
4. More beneficial VAT and excise tax penalty regime
Tax disputes are expected to become more frequent and more structured, with clearer administrative objection and appeal processes. The UAE has adopted a new penalty regime for VAT and excise disputes, which now mirrors the penalty regime for corporate tax.
5. Greater emphasis on statutory audit
There is a greater need for the accuracy of financial statements. The International Financial Reporting Standards standards need to be strictly adhered to and, as a result, the quality of the audits will need to increase.
6. Further transfer pricing enforcement
Transfer pricing enforcement, which refers to the practice of establishing prices for internal transactions between related entities, is expected to broaden in scope. The UAE will shortly open the possibility to negotiate advance pricing agreements, or essentially rulings for transfer pricing purposes.
7. Limited time periods for audits
Recent amendments also introduce a default five-year limitation period for tax audits and assessments, subject to specific statutory exceptions. While the standard audit and assessment period is five years, this may be extended to up to 15 years in cases involving fraud or tax evasion.
8. Pillar 2 implementation
Many multinational groups will begin to feel the practical effect of the Domestic Minimum Top-Up Tax (DMTT), the UAE's implementation of the OECD’s global minimum tax under Pillar 2. While the rules apply for financial years starting on or after January 1, 2025, it is 2026 that marks the transition to an operational phase.
9. Reduced compliance obligations for imported goods and services
Businesses that apply the reverse-charge mechanism for VAT purposes in the UAE may benefit from reduced compliance obligations.
10. Substance and CbC reporting focus
Tax authorities are expected to continue strengthening the enforcement of economic substance and Country-by-Country (CbC) reporting frameworks. In the UAE, these regimes are increasingly being used as risk-assessment tools, providing tax authorities with a comprehensive view of multinational groups’ global footprints and enabling them to assess whether profits are aligned with real economic activity.
Contributed by Thomas Vanhee and Hend Rashwan, Aurifer
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The five pillars of Islam
The specs: 2018 Ducati SuperSport S
Price, base / as tested: Dh74,900 / Dh85,900
Engine: 937cc
Transmission: Six-speed gearbox
Power: 110hp @ 9,000rpm
Torque: 93Nm @ 6,500rpm
Fuel economy, combined: 5.9L / 100km
Innotech Profile
Date started: 2013
Founder/CEO: Othman Al Mandhari
Based: Muscat, Oman
Sector: Additive manufacturing, 3D printing technologies
Size: 15 full-time employees
Stage: Seed stage and seeking Series A round of financing
Investors: Oman Technology Fund from 2017 to 2019, exited through an agreement with a new investor to secure new funding that it under negotiation right now.
