Human Rights Watch (HRW) has criticized a wave of arrests in Egypt targeting online content creators, calling the prosecutions “abusive” and a direct attack on free expression.
According to HRW, Egyptian authorities have detained at least 29 people—including 19 women and a child—since late July for videos posted on platforms such as TikTok. The Interior Ministry accused them of “indecency” and “undermining family values,” charges the rights group described as vague and politically motivated.
Among those arrested were young women sharing dance videos, including four belly dancers, which the country’s morality police claimed violated public morals. On August 8, prosecutors confirmed that 10 individuals had been formally charged, with some also facing travel bans and asset freezes.
HRW said the arrests reflect a broader government effort to police online spaces and restrict free speech under the guise of protecting societal values.
Similar crackdowns have been reported elsewhere in Africa. In Mali, the governor of Bamako on September 8 banned so-called “Dior parties”—women-only gatherings marked by dancing in colorful boubou Dior attire and widely shared on social media. Authorities labeled the celebrations “obscene” and contrary to local customs. Mali’s justice ministry has since ordered prosecutors to take tough measures against participants.
Despite official pushback, the trend continues to spread across West Africa, gaining popularity in Senegal and Guinea.
