While bloggers and journalists over in the US frequently celebrate freedom of speech, others have it much much worse. British DJ and house music tastemaker, Dax J, was sentenced to one year in jail last week for sampling the Islamic “Call to Prayer” vocal. Thankfully for Dax J, he had already left the country when the sentence came down, so he can avoid the sentence if he doesn’t return. The London-born DJ was officially convicted on charges of public indecency and offending public morality in a Tunisian court. Dax J reportedly played a 20-second vocal sample of the religious anthem while performing live at a nightclub event associated with the Orbit Festival. The club has since been shut down.
Dax claimed to have not been notified of the shocking charges until after his conviction. Having left Tunisia soon after the event, it’s unlikely that he will actually have to serve any time in jail. According to a recent Facebook post, the charges will expire in 2022, so Dax J fans in Tunisia will have a while to wait before his return. The DJ the following words in reference to his recent conviction:
“I hold the upmost respect for all religions across the globe and I can now understand how my recent actions could have been perceived in the wrong way. We must all take time to truly respect and appreciate everybody’s beliefs in this world to move forward as a global society.”
His full statement below..
Should DJs be forced to apologize for remixing a track? Is it right to jail somebody for remixing a track? Do you think DJ Dax was right to apologize or should he stick to his guns? Sound off in the comments below.