The return of the absent Fadel Shaker is preparing to meet his fans again. How did Saudi Arabia prepare for his return?
Author, Ahmed Abdullah
Role, BBC Arabic
Published 6 minutes ago
Reading time: 5 minutes
Lebanese artist Fadel Shaker is preparing to return to public concerts from the Saudi capital, Riyadh, after an absence that lasted about 14 years, most of which he spent in hiding inside the Ain al-Hilweh camp, before he surrendered himself to the Lebanese authorities and was later released from detention, with his trial continuing.
The Chairman of the Board of Directors of the Saudi General Entertainment Authority, Turki Al-Sheikh, announced on Sunday that a concert by Shaker entitled “The Return of the Absent” will be held at the Abu Bakr Salem Theater on Thursday, October 22, as part of the Riyadh Season activities.
It will be his first concert since his retirement from singing in 2012, in a return that comes about three months after his release and the lifting of the travel ban on him.
The anticipated evening constitutes a new station in the path of an artistic comeback that began before he came out of hiding, and Saudi institutions contributed to it by producing his songs and presenting his account of the events in a documentary work, leading to his reception at one of the Riyadh Season theaters.
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From recorded songs to meeting the audience
During his years of absence from theatres, Fadel Shaker's voice was not completely cut off from his audience. He gradually returned to recording songs from inside the Ain al-Hilweh camp, and released works that brought his name back into circulation, away from judicial and security news.
During the past year, songs such as “Sahak Al-Shouq” and “Rouh Al-Bahr” emerged, in addition to “How Are You Aa Faraki,” which brought him together with his son Muhammad, at a stage in which he regained a widespread presence on digital platforms.
But releasing songs did not mean being able to give concerts and travel to meet the public. Prosecutions, rulings in absentia, and then his arrest after he surrendered himself, kept his return to the stage postponed.
With the date of the ceremony set, this return now has an announced destination and a specific date. Tickets are scheduled to go on sale on October 7th.
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In the context of talking about his upcoming activity, artistic journalist Elie Merheb mentioned, in a post on the “X” platform, that Shaker has an artistic contract that includes performing 50 concerts in Arab countries and around the world, sponsored by the Riyadh Season. The publication did not include details about the dates or destinations of these concerts, or whether the contract had already been signed.
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How did Saudi Arabia prepare for the return process?
The Saudi interest, thanks to Shaker, long preceded the announcement of the concert.
In 2025, the “Shahid” platform presented a documentary entitled “Oh Ghayeb,” during which Shaker presented his account of the years of his closeness to Sheikh Ahmed Al-Assir, then his hiding in Ain Al-Hilweh, and denied his participation in the fighting against the Lebanese army.
The work provided Shaker with a space to talk about his case and his life during the years of disappearance, but it also raised a dispute over the way it was presented. His supporters saw it as an opportunity to listen to his story, while his critics saw it as an attempt to improve his image before his judicial file was resolved.
In parallel, the Saudi “Penchmark” company contracted with him to produce new works, and supervised the songs “Sahak Al-Shouq” and “Rouh Al-Bahr.”
A source familiar with the case had told BBC Arabic, in October 2025, that Saudi artistic and media interest contributed to encouraging Shaker to surrender himself, in addition to the security pressures he faced inside the camp, and communications that carried reassurances about him receiving a fair trial.
Why Riyadh Season?
The announcement places Shaker's return within one of the most prominent Saudi entertainment programs, which brings together concerts, shows and events targeting a local audience and visitors from abroad.
The Riyadh Season began in 2019, and is presented by the General Entertainment Authority as part of the efforts to expand the sector, attract investments, provide job opportunities and enhance economic returns.
In Shaker's case, his hosting comes as an extension of the presence of Saudi institutions in the stages of his return to production and media appearances. This time, it gives him a platform to meet the audience directly, after his artistic presence for years remained confined to recordings and screens.
The title of the concert, “The Return of the Absent,” recalls one of his most famous songs, and links his artistic image to his expected appearance after years in which news of the judiciary dominated news of his concerts.
What has changed in his judicial status?
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The Military Court in Lebanon released Shaker on July 8, with financial bail in four cases, including the Abra events file.
On the fifteenth of the same month, the court lifted the travel ban on him and returned his passport to him, in exchange for his pledge to attend future sessions. The two decisions allowed him to leave Lebanon, while the cases against him continued to be considered.
On May 6, the Beirut Criminal Court acquitted him in the attempted murder case of Hilal Hammoud, a local official in the “Resistance Brigades” linked to Hezbollah. This ruling was limited to this case, and did not include other files before the military court.
In a later session in May, the military court heard from three retired officers, Brigadier General Ali Shahrour, Brigadier General Muhammad al-Husseini, and Brigadier Mamdouh Saab.
According to what was reported by the National News Agency at the time, the data and reports they presented did not prove Shaker’s participation in the fight against the army, his carrying of weapons, his ownership of an armed group, or his financing of the prisoner.
The testimonies also dealt with communications that preceded the battle, the aim of which was to settle the situation of some of Shaker’s companions and hand over individual weapons, at a time when the army leadership was working to “break his connection” with the prisoner.
These statements formed part of the process of his retrial after he surrendered himself, but they were not in themselves a final ruling on all the accusations against him.
Thus, his expected return to the stage comes after he is released from detention and allowed to travel, while the judicial process remains open.
How did you miss the theaters?
Fadel Shaker was one of the most prominent voices in Arabic emotional song, before he announced his retirement from performing in 2012 and approached Sheikh Ahmed Al-Asir, who rose to prominence in Sidon with his speech against Hezbollah and the Syrian regime.
Shaker appeared alongside Assir in religious and political activities, at a time that witnessed sharp Lebanese division against the backdrop of the war in Syria.
In June 2013, clashes broke out between the Lebanese army and Assir’s supporters in the Abra area near Sidon, during which soldiers and gunmen were killed. After that, Shaker disappeared in Ain al-Hilweh camp, and judgments were issued against him in absentia in cases related to interfering in terrorist acts and providing financial and logistical support.
Shaker continued to deny his participation in shooting at the army, until he surrendered himself to Lebanese Army Intelligence in October 2025, after more than twelve years inside the camp, and his retrial began in person.
An artistic comeback does not end the dispute
On the other hand, Shaker’s supporters believe that adjudicating the accusations is within the jurisdiction of the judiciary, and they maintain his denial of participating in the fighting and his right to resume his artistic life.
The October 22 concert, according to the announced date, will be the beginning of a phase in which Shaker will regain his audience after nearly 14 years of absence from concerts. As for the files that accompanied this absence, they remain before the Lebanese judiciary, even as it prepares to take the stage again.
