LONDON: Palestinian singer and composer Nai Barghouti was denied entry to Egypt, the artist announced through social media on Monday.
The decision led to the postponement of a series of concerts Barghouti was scheduled to play in the country.
“The Cairo Opera House has decided to postpone my Cairo and Alexandria concerts indefinitely after I was banned at Cairo Airport from entering beloved Egypt for reasons I still don’t know,” she told fans on social media.
Authorities held the star at Cairo airport for eight hours without justification, before denying her entry to the country.
“I was shocked, saddened and overcome by conflicting emotions, the most prominent of which was loss … the loss of the opportunity to connect with you after a long wait,” she said.
“I have prepared a rich and special music program that suits ... the people of sisterly Egypt and its stature in the heart of the Arab nation. As a Palestinian artist who was raised on the values of steadfastness and dignity, I refuse to give up hope,” she added.
The young singer-songwriter was scheduled to play at two sold-out concerts at the Cairo Opera House on Aug. 4, and at the Roman Amphitheater in Alexandria on Aug. 6, as part of the Summer Festival for Music and Singing.
Fans took to social media to express their support for the Palestinian artist. Many speculated about the decision and accused Egyptian authorities of barring the musician because of her renowned activism and support for the Palestinian cause.
Earlier this year, Barghouti released Nasheed El-Ard (Anthem of the Land), a music video dedicated to the memory of Shireen Abu Akleh, the slain Al Jazeera journalist killed by Israeli forces during a raid in the occupied West Bank in May.
Born in Ramallah in 1996, the Amsterdam Conservatory of Music graduate and Palestine Youth Orchestra member is famous for merging jazz harmony and Middle-Eastern music, and has performed across the Middle East, Europe and the US, including at the UN headquarters in New York City.
