Egypt Arrests Dozens Over Social Media Posts, Rights Groups Warn of Growing Repression
“This is part of the government’s relentless attempt to criminalize all forms of expression that do not conform to its political or social views,” said Amr Magdi, HRW’s senior Middle East and North Africa researcher.
ERBIL (Kurdistan24) — Egyptian authorities have arrested or prosecuted around 40 people over the past month for their social media activity, targeting them with charges ranging from “indecency” to “undermining family values,” Human Rights Watch (HRW) said on Wednesday.
According to HRW, Egypt’s interior ministry reported 29 cases between late July and late August, including at least 19 women and one child, while independent monitors documented eight additional cases.
The targeted accounts remain largely accessible and have posted a wide array of content, from comedy skits and lip-sync clips to budget cosmetics promotions and snapshots of everyday life.
The New York-based watchdog said that vague morality charges have been used to pursue “abusive prosecutions” against individuals, including four belly dancers, a comedian, tattoo artists, and TikTok influencers.
“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, HRW’s senior Middle East and North Africa researcher. “This is part of the government’s relentless attempt to criminalize all forms of expression that do not conform to its political or social views.”
The Egyptian Initiative for Personal Rights (EIPR) described the crackdown as the “most significant repression” since 2020. Among those arrested was 16-year-old Nour Tofaha, who was accused of posting “immoral” dancing videos. A juvenile court sentenced her to two years in prison for incitement to immorality and debauchery, Egyptian media reported.
HRW called on the authorities to release all those detained and drop the charges, urging Cairo to repeal laws that restrict privacy, freedom of expression, and freedom of belief under the banner of morality.
The rights group also pointed to Egypt’s 2018 cybercrime law as one of the main tools used to suppress digital freedoms, alongside a broad patchwork of poorly defined laws that enable prosecutions.
According to EIPR, at least 151 people have been prosecuted since 2020 under “family values” charges.
Egypt has faced increasing criticism over its restrictions on freedom of expression, both online and offline, since President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi took power in 2013 following the military ouster of Mohamed Morsi.
Over the past decade, authorities have launched widespread crackdowns on political opponents, journalists, and civil society organizations, severely narrowing the space for dissent.
The digital sphere, once considered a relatively safe outlet for self-expression, has increasingly come under government scrutiny. In 2020, Egyptian courts sentenced several young women TikTok influencers to prison for “violating family values,” sparking outrage at home and abroad.
Rights groups argue that morality-based prosecutions not only silence dissent but also disproportionately target women and marginalized groups, weaponizing cultural conservatism to justify curbing freedoms.
These arrests also come amid broader concerns over Egypt’s human rights record, which has been a point of contention in Cairo’s relations with Western allies.
While the government defends its policies as necessary for preserving social order and national security, critics argue that the sweeping legal framework leaves little room for independent voices, effectively criminalizing ordinary citizens for their digital presence.
