"Human Rights Watch": Egyptian authorities arrested about 40 content creators in a month

SadaNews - Egyptian authorities arrested at least 40 content creators last month over online posts that the authorities describe as indecent and promoting vice, according to a report by "Human Rights Watch" on Wednesday.

Human rights advocates say this is part of a campaign targeting freedom of expression.

Between the end of July and the end of August, Egyptian authorities detained or prosecuted "no fewer than 29 people, including at least 19 women and one child... while reliable media and rights reports recorded eight other cases," according to Human Rights Watch, which cited "vague" charges such as violation of public morals, undermining family values, and money laundering through the dissemination of clips that the authorities claim are "indecent."

The accounts of those detained, most of which are still available, include a variety of content ranging from dance clips and comedy to low-cost beauty product advertisements and everyday life snippets.

Amr Magdy, a researcher on the Middle East and North Africa at "Human Rights Watch," believes that "the Egyptian authorities' campaign against online content creators aims to suppress the last space for freedom of expression in the country."

He deemed these measures "part of the government's ongoing attempt to criminalize all forms of expression that do not align with its political or social vision."

The series of arrests followed a complaint filed by 32 lawyers, who believed that the video recordings pose a danger to the youth without further clarification.

According to "Human Rights Watch," Egyptian laws allow citizens to file reports against individuals for what they consider "crimes" affecting public safety or morals. It is up to the public prosecution to decide whether to continue the investigation and file charges.

Most accusations rely on a law from 2018 regarding combating cyber crimes, which Human Rights Watch considers "one of the main tools for criminalizing freedom of expression in recent years."

Among those detained is a 16-year-old girl named Noor Tafaha, accused of posting "indecent" clips of herself dancing, and a juvenile court sentenced her to two years in prison for inciting vice and promiscuity, according to local media.

The prosecution also ordered the detention of content creators Suzy Al-Urduni and Mohamed Abdel-Aty on charges of money laundering and publishing "indecent" content. Both have millions of followers.

"Human Rights Watch" stated that "targeting girls and women based on their clothing or engagement in activities like dancing reflects the discriminatory nature of the campaign," while the arrests were welcomed by government-aligned media.

The organization urged the Egyptian authorities to release "immediately and unconditionally all detainees for exercising their right to freedom of expression online, to drop the charges against them, and to repeal all laws that restrict the right to privacy, freedom of expression, and freedom of belief in the name of morality."