(Beirut) - Egyptian authorities have since July 2025 carried out an abusive campaign of mass arrests and prosecutions targeting online content creators, Human Rights Watch said today. 

Based on Interior Ministry statements, the authorities arrested or prosecuted for online content at least 29 people, including at least 19 women and a child, between late July and late August, while credible media and human rights reports recorded another 8 cases. The authorities brought vague charges against those targeted, including belly dancers and tattoo artists, such as violating "public morals," "undermining family values," and "money laundering," stemming from what they said were "indecent" videos posted on social media platforms like TikTok. 

"Egyptian authorities' campaign against online content creators seems intended to quell the last vestige of space for free expression in the country," said Amr Magdi, senior Middle East and North Africa researcher at Human Rights Watch. "This is part of the government's relentless attempt to criminalize all forms of expression that do not conform with its political or social views."

The government's actions violate the rights to privacy, freedom of expression, and nondiscrimination, Human Rights Watch said. The authorities should drop abusive prosecutions and cease using vague morality charges to quell online expression.

Those arrested face criminal charges of "violating family principles or values in Egyptian society" under article 25 of Law No. 175 of 2018 on Cybercrime, which can lead to six months to three years in prison and hefty fines. Human Rights Watch previously documented that this law has become one of the key tools for criminalizing free expression in recent years. 

The authorities have also used a combination of broad and poorly defined laws that give prosecutors and judges unrestricted discretion in defining what constitutes charges of "public indecency" and "inciting debauchery" in the penal code. 

The public prosecution confirmed on August 8 that it had charged 10 content creators with broadcasting "indecent videos" that "undermine family and societal principles" on TikTok, ordering the pretrial detention of eight while releasing two on bail. It also froze the assets of all 10 and banned them from travel. 

The authorities also targeted at least one child and several other young people. On June 23, prosecutors jailed a 16-year old girl, Nour Tufaha, for four days before referring her case to trial for allegedly posting online "indecent" videos of herself dancing. On August 25, a juvenile court reportedly sentenced her to two years in prison for "promoting vice and debauchery."

On August 4, the public prosecution ordered the pretrial detention of a young woman who posts on TikTok, known as Suzy El Ordoneya, over accusations that she published videos that "offend public decency." Her page on TikTok has nearly 9.3 million followers and features videos in which she discusses social issues, sings, or dances. On August 20, a judge renewed her detention for 15 days pending investigation on charges of publishing "indecent" videos and "money laundering." 

The Interior Ministry's morality police department and other police units also detained four belly dancers for posting videos of themselves dancing in allegedly "indecent" clothing deemed to "violate public morals." Official statements and Egyptian media identified them as Badiaa, an Egyptian-Italian dancer, Noura Denial, Boosi al-Asad, and Doosa.

Security forces arrested Mohamed Abdelaty on August 4 for broadcasting videos in which he allegedly used "indecent" language. Prosecutors and judges renewed his detention most recently on September 1. Pro-government newspapers reported that he is also facing charges related to "money laundering." Abdelaty has over half a million followers on TikTok, where he showcases comedy sketches, commentary, and weightlifting. 

On August 12, authorities arrested an 18-year-old known on TikTok as "Yasmeen" for publishing allegedly "indecent" videos. Authorities claimed Yasmeen was "a man mispresenting as a woman," a claim frequently used against proscribed gender non-conforming appearances. She was released on bail on August 13.

On August 3, the authorities arrested Mohamed Shaker, known on TikTok as "Shaker Mahzour Delwati" following complaints by a pro-government lawyer to the public prosecutor accusing him of broadcasting videos that "violate the principles and values of the society." Shaker, who has more than 5.5 million followers on TikTok, often shares clips of luxury cars and high end travel. 

Authorities also targeted tattoo artists as part of sweeping arrests. For example, On August 5, police arrested an online content creator and tattoo artist known as Fadi Tattoo for allegedly publishing videos of himself tattooing women, which authorities said "contradicts societal traditions." He was released on bail on August 7.

On August 10, pro-government newspapers reported that a criminal appeals court had sentenced a woman who posts on TikTok and her male assistant to three years in prison and a 100,000 Egyptian pound fine (US$2,054) for posting "indecent" videos on TikTok. Human Rights Watch could not verify their names or content.

These arrests came amid a campaign on social media and in pro-government newspapers accusing content creators of "morality" violations and "money laundering." Pro-government media also reported that several lawyers had filed complaints with the public prosecutor against content creators for "promoting vice and debauchery."

In July, one complaint sent to the public prosecution was reportedly signed by 32 lawyers against 10 content creators, 8 of them women. Egyptian laws allow citizens to file complaints with the public prosecution against individuals for what they deem to be "offenses" that impact public safety or morals. The public prosecutor has the authority to decide whether to proceed with investigation and indictment. 

A member of the House of Representatives' Telecommunications Committee, Ahmed Badawy, said on August 2 that TikTok might be banned in Egypt if it does not "eliminate content ... in order to respect societal values." 

Targeting girls and women based on how they dress or engage in acts like dancing, exemplifies the campaign's discriminatory nature, Human Rights Watch said. Discrimination against girls and women, including social and cultural discrimination, is prohibited under international human rights law, including the United Nations Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women. 

The right to free expression is guaranteed under the Egyptian Constitution and international human rights law, including the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, the African Charter on Human and Peoples' Rights, and the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child.

International law requires that any limitations to freedom of expression must be proportionate, stated in a precise manner, in a way that people can reasonably predict what constitutes a violation, and be necessary to protect national security, public order, public health, or morals in a democratic society. What constitutes morality must not be derived from one set of traditions, religion, or culture, but rather in light of the diversity of a society. 

The UN Human Rights Committee, which oversees the interpretation of the covenant, has affirmed that the right to freedom of expression applies online and also said that laws "may not confer unfettered discretion" to authorities and that any "limitations must be understood in the light of universality of human rights and the principle of non-discrimination."

"The Egyptian authorities should immediately and unconditionally release all those arrested for exercising their right to free speech online and drop the charges against them," Magdi said. "The authorities should also repeal all laws restricting the right to privacy, freedom of expression, and freedom of belief in the name of morality."

Source: Human Rights Watch