Arrest warrant against Syrian music icon Asala Nasry retracted

Dubai: A judge has retracted an arrest warrant against music icon Asala Nasry, until a claimant's lawyer publishes in a newspaper a judgment ordering her to pay Dh542,000.

"The arrest warrant has been retracted. The claimant [an Emirati businessman] has to legally notify the defendant [Asala] by publishing in a newspaper the Dubai Appeals Court judgment ordering her to pay Dh542,000 in compensation and that the contract between the litigating parties still stands. Then Dubai Courts' Section of Judgments' Execution and Urgent Matters will look into the case," decided Judge Mohammad Masaad Al Sharif on Monday.

The Syrian music icon is to be produced before the Section in connection with the Dh542,570 in compensation awarded to the Emirati businessman, A.M., for breach of contract.

The Dubai Appeals Court had earlier ordered Asala to compensate A.M. after she was found to have breached a mutual contract. The Appeals Court also judged that the contract is still effective between the litigating parties.

"Yesterday, we informed the concerned judge that we started our process to publish the appeals verdict in a newspaper. After publishing, we will wait 15 days until the defendant executes the ruling and pays our client's compensation. If that doesn't happen, we will follow the required legal procedures to carry out the arrest warrant," A.M.'s lawyer Abdul Moniem Bin Suwaidan told Gulf News on Wednesday.

Asala's legal representative in the UAE had signed a 10-year renewable business contract with the businessman.