DJ who used Muslim call to prayer in remix sentenced to year in jail

British DJ Dax convicted by Tunisian court in absentia for ‘offending public morality’ by putting muezzin call in his mix

By ToI Staff 7 April 2017, 6:41 pm

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British DJ DAX J, being sought by Tunisian authorities on suspicion of ‘offending public morality‘ for mixing the Muslim call to prayer into a nightclub music set. (YouTube screenshot)

A British DJ was charged with public indecency and sentenced to a year in jail by a Tunisian court after he included a recording of the Muslim call to prayer in a remix he played at a nightclub.

The London-born Dax J, who left Tunisia after last weekend’s incident, was charged in abstensia with public indecency and offending public morality, Ylyes Miladi, a spokesman of a court in the town of Grombalia, was quoted by The Guardian as saying.

According to the report, Tunisian authorities shut down the nightclub in the north-east town of Nabeul and began an investigation after a video, widely shared on social media, showed clubbers dancing to music that included the call to prayer, sparking a storm of debate.

“We will not allow attacks against religious feelings and the sacred,” the governor of Nabeul, Mnaouar Ouertani, said when the club was shut down.

Tunisia’s religious affairs ministry said in a statement, “Mocking the opinions and religious principles of Tunisians is absolutely unacceptable.”

Earlier this week, Miladi told AFP that three people including the DJ and the club owner were expected to be charged with “offending public morality.”

He said the DJ had not yet been located by authorities.

Dax J, has issued an apology, as have the organizers of the event.

Offending public morality is punishable by up to six months in prison, according to Tunisian law.

According to the Guardian, it is unlikely that the Berlin-based Dax J, who has performed at festivals all over the world, including Glastonbury, will serve any time in prison.

— AFP contributed to this report.