Rabat – The popular video-sharing website YouTube has taken down the music video of Moroccan artist Dunia Batma’s latest song titled ‘Kharboushah” over copyright infringement claims.
This action reportedly follows a report that Youtube received from an Algerian individual accusing the Moroccan singer of copyright infringement. His claim alleges that the video included a photo of Emir Abdelkader, an Algerian historical figure, in a segment discussing the historical Moroccan figure El Kaid Aissa Ben Oumar.
The inclusion of Prince Abdelkader’s image in the music video was reportedly unintentional and an oversight by the person responsible for overseeing the artwork associated with the production.
The individual reportedly sourced the image from the search engine Google without verifying its authenticity.
Following the release of the video clip last Thursday, Algerian internet users bombarded Batma’s social media pages with angry comments, urging her to remove Emir Abdelkader’s picture from her music video.
Many highlighted the Emir’s significance in Algerian history and that he is regarded as a national hero for his resistance against French colonization.
Algerian netizens were particularly outraged because the song criticized Ben Omar, who was known for his brutality and cruelty, using the Emir’s image.
Read also: Marrakech Court Sentences Singer Dounia Batma to 1 Year in Prison
The original song belongs to Moroccan singer Cheikha Kharboucha, also known as Hadda Al-Ghita. She was an iconic figure and a political activist who used her music to rebel and stand against the injustice of Ben Oumar, who was the head of the Abda region during the reign of Sultan Abdul Aziz
Following the copyright incident, Batma has been in contact with the company managing her official channel to resolve the issue.
The company has reportedly sent an email to YouTube explaining the details of the incident and justifying that it does not constitute any violation of copyright, as claimed by some, considering the song is part of Moroccan heritage.
It is expected that Batma’s music video will be restored on her YouTube channel once the overseeing company completes the necessary procedures.
