A court in Egypt has jailed several young women for posting “indecent” dance videos on TikTok in a case that critics describe as a further crackdown on self-expression in the conservative society.
The women, who were sentenced to two years in prison, were also fined 300,000 Egyptian pounds (£14,700) each for “violating the values and principles of the Egyptian family,” inciting debauchery and promoting human trafficking, according to a statement from the public prosecutor.
Their lawyers vowed to appeal the ruling.
The prosecution named two of the defendants — 20-year-old student Haneen Hossam and 22-year-old Mawada Eladhm — and said the other three helped run their social media accounts.
Both women had become famous on TikTok with millions of followers viewing their video snippets set to catchy Egyptian club-pop tracks.
In their respective 15-second clips, the women wearing make-up, pose in cars, dance in kitchens and joke around.
But the social media content caused uproar with authorities in Egypt, where citizens can land in prison for vague crimes such as “misusing social media,” “disseminating fake news,” or “inciting debauchery and immorality.”
Ms Eladhm’s lawyer, Ahmed el-Bahkeri, confirmed the sentencing. The prosecution deemed Ms Eladhm’s photos and videos “disgraceful and insulting”.
“Eladhm was crying in court. Two years? 300,000 Egyptian pounds? This is really something very tough to hear,” said Samar Shabana, the attorney’s assistant.
Egypt remains far more liberal than Gulf Arab states, but the Muslim-majority country has swung in a decidedly conservative direction over the past half-century.
Belly dancers, pop divas and social media influencers have faced backlash for violating guidelines.
The string of arrests for “moral issues” is more broadly part of a clampdown on personal freedoms that has accelerated since President Abdel Fattah el-Sissi came to power in 2013.
.png?w=600)
