Pages on social media circulated a report claiming that Hama Governorate had issued an official decision banning any comedy segments or "stand-up comedy" shows in the governorate, justifying it by the particularities of the local community and its customs and traditions.
The Kashaf team checked the claim by contacting the Hama Media Directorate, which denied that any official decision had been issued on the matter, explaining that what happened was the halting of one specific event due to a wide wave of popular objections that accompanied it.
The event that stirred controversy was titled "Steria Comedy Night Hama" and had been scheduled to take place at the Family Club in Hama on Wednesday, 23 September.
Activists circulated a statement in the name of "the people of the city of Hama" rejecting the event, considering that it included mockery of religion and Islamic rites and ridicule of religious people, as well as mockery of the "Liberation Day" occasion and criticism directed at the person of the President. The statement demanded the immediate cancellation of the event and called on the City Council and the Awqaf and Tourism directorates to stop licensing any similar activity.
The Kashaf team also reviewed the available official sources and found nothing proving that an official decision had been issued banning comedy shows in general in Hama.
Why is this claim misleading?
Inaccurate interpretation: The claim conflated the cancellation of one specific event with the issuance of a general official decision on the matter.
