The anti-government rapper Klay BBJ has been arrested in Tunisia for the second time, AFP reports.
The rapper, aka Ahmed ben Ahmed, was arrested with fellow rapper Weld El 15 in 2013 for insulting a public servant, but his fans believe he was imprisoned because his song which was heavily critical of the police. The case generated controversy in Tunisia and support from rights groups calling for their release. Their sentence was later reduced to six months but the pair were acquitted after an appeal.
The rapper was arrested in Tunis along with two other people en route to a concert in Hammamet, according to Klay's lawyer Ghazi Mrabet.
The reason behind the arrest was unclear, but Tunisie News reported that Klay BBJ was transferred to the Forensic Medicine Department to for drug taking. If found guilty of a narcotics offence under the controversial 'law 52', Klay BBJ could face up to five years' imprisonment.
A civil society group known as "Prisoner 52" has actively campaigned against law 52, which they believed is used as a tool to repress freedom of expression, according to AFP.
Mrabet has denied that the perfomer was using drugs and claimed his client was undergoing severe humiliation and mistreatment.
Interior ministry spokesman Walid Louguini told Mosaique FM radio the arrest was made at the request of the prosecution.
Klay BBJ is known for his controversial, anti-authoritarian lyrics. Mrabet has appealed to the rapper's fans and the wider community to interfere to stop this ‘farce’, which he stated “targets human rights, freedom of expression and artists in the country.”
According to freemuse, a new video has been released in support of Klay BBJ. Entitled ‘Seeb Klay’ (‘Let Klay Free’) it was produced by known artists and activists, who are fighting to protect and maintain Tunisia’s freedom of expression.
