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Digital Phablet – Lebanese singer Fadel Chaker’s surrender ignites debate over innocence claims.
As the name of Lebanese artist Fadel Chaker resurfaced amid controversy, a viral video clip showed his son Mohammed announcing his father’s “acquittal after surrendering to the Lebanese Army,” spreading rapidly on social media.
Many users congratulated him and discussed the footage, which appeared to mark a dramatic turn in a long-standing legal saga that has played out over the years.
However, Digital Phablet’s verification team confirmed that the video is authentic but has been manipulated to convey false narratives about Fadel Chaker’s case.
First comment from his son on the circulating news about his father’s innocence:
“#FadelChaker’s” son commented on the false reports about his father’s innocence, and the post was shared by Brieflex, highlighting the misinformation spreading online.
(See the original tweet here)
Fadel Chaker, a Lebanese artist, has recently regained public attention after more than 13 years due to the controversy surrounding him. This time, he isn’t in the musical limelight but instead finds himself in headlines related to legal issues.
He recently made headlines again after turning himself in to Lebanese Army Intelligence. For years, he had been in hiding within the Ain al-Hilweh Palestinian refugee camp near Sidon in southern Lebanon. Gone are the days when his story was told through art books; now, it’s kept in official police and court records. His arrest has sparked widespread discussion about what lies ahead after such a long period of absence and isolation.
Verification by Al Jazeera’s team, employing reverse engineering and cross-referencing methods, confirmed that the viral video has been edited to cut short and misused.
On social media, a brief video shows a smiling Mohammed Chaker assuring that his father was not involved in combat against the Lebanese Army. This clip, which is under 15 seconds, suggests a recent event connected to his father’s surrender. Meanwhile, a longer version shared by Mohammed on TikTok on April 16, 2025, nearly a minute long, clarifies that the acquittal dates back to 2018 and relates to a court ruling in a case involving armed conflict charges. He mentioned that the media coverage of that ruling was inadequate.
Watch the TikTok video here, where Mohammed states, “The news is true,” affirming his father’s innocence.
The handover took place last Saturday evening at the Hisbah checkpoint leading into Ain al-Hilweh camp, with military intelligence personnel present to oversee the process. This step was taken to facilitate his trial and resolve his legal case, which has lasted over a decade.
The Lebanese Army’s official statement from the Directorate of Orientation stated:
“Fadel Abdel Rahman Shamdar, also known as Fadel Chaker, voluntarily surrendered to a patrol from Army Intelligence at the entrance of Ain al-Hilweh camp, linked to the 2013 Abra events.” An investigation has now begun, with the cooperation of relevant authorities.
In 2020, the Military Court sentenced him to 22 years of harsh imprisonment, despite his absence at the trial. Some charges were dropped in 2018, ruling him not guilty of fighting in battles or directly killing soldiers.
Chaker issued a statement last April asserting he had been wronged “for over 13 years,” claiming he fled to the camp to escape death threats—not out of fear of the judicial system—and labeling the charges as politically motivated.
Watch the related TikTok here, where supporters celebrate his acquittal and call for his freedom, emphasizing his reputation as a romantic and sensitive artist.
His sudden turn himself in has stunned many, considering he had been in hiding in the Ain al-Hilweh Palestinian refugee camp near Sidon. Now, police and legal authorities hold his story, shifting from art books to official records. Discussions about his future continue to circulate widely.
The verification process clarified that while the video is genuine, it has been edited to misrepresent the timeline and context of his case.
Social media platforms have also spread a short, nearly 15-second clip of Mohammed Chaker confidently asserting his father did not fight against the Lebanese Army, creating the impression that recent events are connected to his surrender. The longer version, posted by Mohammed on TikTok almost a month earlier, detailed that the acquittal arrived in 2018 due to a court ruling involving armed conflict charges.
The handover took place at the Ain al-Hilweh camp’s entrance last Saturday evening, with military intelligence present. The Lebanese Army confirmed the surrender, initiating an inquiry into the circumstances.
Despite his absence during the trial, the Military Court sentenced Fadel Chaker to 22 years of imprisonment in 2020. His claims of innocence and political motivations behind the charges remain a part of the ongoing narrative as he faces the legal process.
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