Lebanon's military court has approved the release of singer-turned-militant Fadel Chaker on bail despite still being under investigation for his alleged involvement in clashes with the Lebanese army.
Chief Military Court judge Brig Gen Wissam Fayyad approved Mr Chaker's release on Wednesday afternoon on a bail of 500 million Lebanese pounds ($5,568). He remains under investigation over his alleged involvement in deadly clashes in 2013 between the Lebanese army and supporters of the radical cleric Ahmed Al Assir, who Mr Chaker had grown close to.
In May, a Beirut criminal court found both men not guilty of attempting to kill Hilal Hammoud, a rival cleric who was aligned with Hezbollah, in the southern Lebanese city of Sidon in 2013. That case ran in parallel to the prosecution in the military court.
Mr Chaker surrendered to authorities last October after 12 years on the run, in the restive Palestinian refugee camp of Ain El Hilweh, near Sidon. Lebanese security forces do not enter Palestinian camps by convention.
He was tried in his absence in 2020 and sentenced to 22 years in prison by a military court for providing support to a terrorist group. Mr Al Assir was sentenced to death over the clashes and is being held in the overpopulated prison in Roumieh, near Beirut.
Mr Chaker turned himself in after reaching a deal in which the convictions were vacated and a new trial ordered.
He became known throughout the region for his smash hit Aash Mn Shafak in 2002. He continued to produce music periodically while in hiding, including the several singles released last year.
