SONA co-founder Omid Kahali steps down amid allegations of sexual misconduct

Omid Kahali, the co-founder of Dutch music event company SONA, has stepped down from his role amid allegations of sexual misconduct, according to Het Parool .

On Saturday, October 17, Het Parool published an investigation involving conversations with 23 women, 12 of whom alleged incidents of sexual misconduct by Kahali.

He is also accused of acting inappropriately, with 11 of the women interviewed alleging that they witnessed inappropriate behaviour by Kahali in incidents involving other women.

SONA, which is which is responsible for events such as No Art and a number of other established dance music parties across Amsterdam, said it is now holding an independent investigation.

In an initial statement shared on Instagram, SONA confirmed that it would "continue under the leadership of founders Bora Güney and Ruud Boymans" as it parts ways with Omid Kahali.

"He understands that there is no way forward together and will step down from his roles as director and shareholder," they said. "Kahali had already stepped back from the business earlier this summer."

SONA also confirmed that Kahali would no longer be involved in events from No Art, SONA Worldwide, or Amsterdam-based event series WAVY.

"This summer, we brought in an independent integrity organisation to investigate," they said in a second statement . "At SONA, we do not accept behaviour that crosses boundaries. Everyone’s safety comes first, and we want everyone to feel safe and respected."

Kahali has denied the allegations to Het Parool , calling them "defamatory" and claiming that no formal complaints have been made with police.

SONA’s independent investigation is ongoing. "We remain committed to organising our events with care and responsibility, always keeping everyone involved in mind," they said.

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