A Lebanese rock band with a gay lead singer have been banned from performing a concert in Jordan.
Mashrou’ Leila, a five-piece from Beirut, are known for their controversial lyrics covering topics such as homosexuality, gender equality, and political and religious freedom. They have been described as “the soundtrack to the Arab spring”.
The band were due to play a concert in Amman on 29 April – their last show in the Middle East before embarking on a North American tour - but in a statement posted on Facebook, they informed fans that authorisation for the concert had been withdrawn.
“The written justification officially provided is that the performance would have been at odds with what the ministry of tourism viewed as the ‘authenticity’ of the site, despite the fact that we had the chance to perform for you at the same specific site three times in the past and had followed the same permit procedure before the competent authorities,” they wrote.
“Informally, the story is much more problematic. We have been unofficially informed that the reason behind this sudden change of heart, [a] few days before the concert day, is the intervention of some authorities. Our understanding is that said authorities have pressured certain political figures and triggered a chain of events that ultimately ended with our authorisation being withdrawn.
“We also have been unofficially informed that we will never be allowed to play again anywhere in Jordan due to our political and religious beliefs, and endorsement of gender equality and sexual freedom.”
our official statement regarding the cancellation and ban of our upcoming show in Amman. please read and share. https://t.co/iyjpwBoikS
— mashrou' leila (@mashrou3leila) April 26, 2016
Last year's performance at the Roman amphitheater in Amman... #ابن_الليل_في_عمان #بدنا_ليلى_في_عمان pic.twitter.com/UkfbK8bEzZ
— haig papazian (@haigpapa) April 26, 2016
Mashrou’ Leila formed in 2008 at the American University of Beirut and have released four albums. Singer Hamed Sinno, 28, has actively fought for LGBT rights in the Middle East. His mother was born in Jordan, making the country “a formative part of his identity and writing”, according to the band’s statement.
Fans expressed their disappointment at the cancellation on Twitter, using the hashtag #LeilaInAmman.
Dear #Jordan, Banning a band for not liking their views is no different than burning books in the dark ages. #LeilaInAmman
— Zeyad Salem (@Zeyadsalem) April 26, 2016
Write it on the walls, scream it through the streets, this is music of freedom!#بدنة_ليلي_فى_عمان#LeilainAmman pic.twitter.com/BiUuOT8KGv
— kar-e-nina (@cxrln) April 26, 2016
Mashrou’ Leila praised Jordan for having some of the most “supportive, beautiful and kind people”, and said it was the “only place where we get to perform for our Palestinian audience”.
“We denounce the systemic prosecution of voices of political dissent. We denounce the systemic prosecution of advocates of sexual and religious freedom. We denounce the censorship of artists anywhere in the world.”
