YouTuber Johnny Somali, Sentenced to 6 Months in Prison and Detained at First Trial for ‘Statue of Peace Insult’

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YouTuber Johnny Somali, Sentenced to 6 Months in Prison and Detained at First Trial for 'Statue of Peace Insult'

Charged with Distribution of False Videos and Obstruction of Business

American YouTuber Johnny Somali (real name: Ramzy Khalid Ismael), who was brought to trial for kissing the Statue of Peace and causing repeated disturbances on public transportation and at convenience stores, was sentenced to prison and taken into custody following a conviction at his first trial.

American YouTuber Johnny Somali, who has caused controversy by kissing the “Statue of Peace,” is answering reporters’ questions while attending the first trial sentencing at the Seoul Western District Court on the 15th. Photo by Yonhap News

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On the morning of April 15, Judge Park Ji-won, Chief Judge of Criminal Division 1 at the Seoul Western District Court, held a sentencing hearing for Ramzy (26), who was indicted on charges including obstruction of business, violation of the Misdemeanor Punishment Act, and distribution of false video under the Act on Special Cases Concerning the Punishment of Sexual Crimes. The court sentenced him to six months in prison and 20 days of detention. In addition, the court ordered a five-year employment restriction at institutions related to children, adolescents, and persons with disabilities, and ordered the confiscation of two mobile phones.

Judge Park stated, “The defendant repeatedly committed these offenses against an unspecified number of victims in order to profit from YouTube broadcasts. The degree to which he disregarded the rule of law is severe, as he broadcasted the situations while committing the crimes.” She added, “Although he appears to have suffered disadvantages such as being banned from leaving the country and being unable to return to his home country for an extended period, the court considered the possibility that similar crimes could be triggered again when determining the sentence.”

Ramzy was charged with hindering business operations in October 2024 by playing loud music and spilling instant noodle soup on a table at a convenience store in Mapo-gu, Seoul. In the same month, he was accused of carrying a bag of foul-smelling fish on the street and approaching passersby to cause discomfort, as well as causing disturbances on buses and subways.

He was also charged with disrupting amusement ride operations while live-streaming at Lotte World in Songpa-gu, Seoul, and distributing online an obscene video that combined the faces of a man and a woman. Furthermore, he previously engaged in erratic behavior, such as kissing the Statue of Peace during a live broadcast.