Lebanon’s Military Court Postpones Fadel Shaker Trial to June 23 After Witness Testimony

By Tahani Elghazaly
Published May 28, 2026

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Lebanon’s Permanent Military Court has postponed the trial of singer Fadel Shaker until June 23 after a session devoted to hearing testimony from three former Lebanese army officers in the case linked to the 2013 Abra clashes in Sidon.

The hearing was held before Brigadier General Wassim Fayyad and in the presence of military prosecutor Judge Nidal al-Shaer. The witnesses addressed Shaker’s relationship with cleric Ahmad al-Assir and his alleged role before and during the confrontation between the Lebanese army and armed groups in Abra.

According to Lebanon’s National News Agency and Lebanese media reports, the officers’ testimonies converged on a key point: security investigations and reports did not establish that Shaker took part in fighting against the Lebanese army, and he had been trying to distance himself from the tense atmosphere in Abra before the battle erupted.

During questioning, Shaker said he had handed over individual weapons and documents belonging to his companions to army intelligence before the clashes, through Brigadier General Ali Shahrour and Colonel Mamdouh Saab. He also said he had intended to leave Lebanon and close the file, and described a dispute with al-Assir after asking him to leave the area.

The hearing is significant because it comes after years of legal pursuit linked to the Abra case. Shaker surrendered to Lebanese military intelligence in October 2025 after more than a decade inside the Ain al-Hilweh Palestinian refugee camp in Sidon, bringing his case back before the courts.

The Abra clashes date back to June 2013, when fighting broke out between the Lebanese army and supporters of Sheikh Ahmad al-Assir in Sidon. The clashes killed 18 soldiers, according to the Associated Press. Since then, Shaker’s name has remained tied to charges involving support for armed groups and association with al-Assir, while he has repeatedly denied taking part in violence.

The latest testimony does not end the case or amount to a final judgment. It is, however, an important legal development because it focuses on the distinction between being present in a tense political and security environment and direct involvement in fighting against the army.

The military court is expected to continue examining the case on June 23, with public attention still high in Lebanon and across the Arab world because the file combines a prominent artistic figure, a sensitive security case, and legal consequences that have stretched over more than a decade.