James Kottak, Scorpions Drummer, Sentenced To One Month In Jail In Dubai

Scorpions drummer James Kottak was arrested in Dubai and sentenced to one month in jail for offensive behavior.

Scorpions, a German rock band, were at the Dubai airport when the incident occurred on April 3. Kottak was reportedly drinking and was accused of speaking ill of Islam. Kottak was arrested in the Dubai airport transit hall after allegedly ranting about “non-educated Muslims” and flipping people off. Witnesses also claimed that the drummer said he would not travel with any Pakistani or Afghan travelers.

Scorpions performed their April 5 concert at a Formula One race without Kottak.

Kottak has denied the charges, but admitted that he was guilty of drinking alcohol without a license, a crime for which he paid a $550 fine. Kottak has been in jail since his April 3 arrest and is expected to be released and deported before the end of the week.

Scorpions addressed the incident on their official Facebook page, stating that they do not have any details as to Kottak’s current state in Dubai and announcing that Johan Franzon would be taking over the drums for their upcoming concerts.

“When James Kottak arrived in Dubai [on April 3], he ran into problems at immigrations and got busted. Whatever happened is totally out of our control and we don’t know any details about it at this point,” reads the statement.

– Olivia Truffaut-Wong