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By Safaa Kasraoui
Rabat – Famous Syrian singer Assala Nasri has released her first statement since her arrest in Beirut for carrying cocaine on Sunday, on her official Facebook page on Tuesday.
Assala, one of the most renowned female Arab singers, was headed to Cairo when she was arrested in possession of 2g of cocaine. While security sources later suggested that the quantity of drugs seized indicated it was for personal use, the singer denied the cocaine was hers and claimed somebody else had put in her bag.
Assala was later released on bail under the condition she take a drug test whenever she visits Lebanon.
However, the Syrian diva has surprisingly broken her silence since her release, making her first ever written statement. In a Facebook post, Assalah said that even though events over the past few days had been “tough and hard”, she was “very happy about the love, attention and trust that” that she had been given.
She went on to add that she had never previously made a statement to clarify something, “not because of my ego, but because since my childhood, I have been surrounded by people who took care of me, and I have been taught by many.”
The singer added that she while she sometimes feels guilty for her frankness, which could threaten both the safety of her and her family, she stays that way because “I am born to be who I am.”
In her statement, Assala also mentioned the love she feels for Lebanon and its capital, Beirut. “Beirut is my love and my country-twin. Its people love me very much and help me more than anyone else […] I feel like I was born there, and I adore ever single atom of its soil. I won’t be mad at it, because it has no guilt in what happened to me.”
The Syrian singer also expressed her gratitude to those who helped her during the ordeal, especially “the state’s officials.”
The Syrian artist also responded to media rumors claiming her guilt, saying ” there is nothing called yellow journalism [sensationalist-based journalism], but there are yellow people working in journalism,” implying the exaggerating nature of some journalists.
Speaking to her Facebook followers, Assala added: ” You [fans] have already responded to those people’s claims, but their words did not hurt. Why should I be accused so you can write about me? Is it forbidden to be free? Is it forbidden to ask for justice?[…]”
Assala finished her written statement saying she was “still holding hope for life,” adding she was grateful to those who helped her and put their trust in her innocence.
