{"id":13751,"date":"2025-08-07T17:02:46","date_gmt":"2025-08-07T15:02:46","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/zawia3.com\/?p=13751"},"modified":"2025-08-28T17:03:46","modified_gmt":"2025-08-28T15:03:46","slug":"tiktok","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/zawia3.com\/en\/tiktok\/","title":{"rendered":"How Egypt Targets TikTok Under the Guise of Morality"},"content":{"rendered":"

The Egyptian Ministry of Interior has launched a wide-ranging security campaign targeting several content creators on the social media platform TikTok. According to official statements published on the Ministry\u2019s affiliated pages, the campaign has resulted in the arrest of at least eight individuals over the past two days.<\/p>\n

The Ministry stated that the operation comes \u201cin the context of monitoring what has been circulated on social media platforms, and following several complaints submitted against a female content creator.\u201d It added that the published videos \u201cinclude vulgar and pornographic language that contradicts societal values and constitute a misuse of social media platforms.\u201d The Ministry also noted that some of the arrested individuals face additional charges related to \u201cpossession of narcotics and weapons.\u201d<\/p>\n

The security crackdown was preceded by multiple complaints filed last week with the Public Prosecution by several lawyers against TikTok content creators. Among them was a collective complaint signed by 32 lawyers against ten individuals, including eight women.<\/p>\n

The story began in July, when a woman named Marwa Yousry appeared in video clips claiming to be related to former President Hosni Mubarak. In the videos, she accused an Egyptian actress and several other female content creators of involvement in organ trafficking.<\/p>\n

Following these statements, security forces arrested Marwa Yousry after the actress in question filed an official complaint accusing her of defamation and spreading rumors about serious crimes such as organ trafficking via videos shared on social media platforms.<\/p>\n

In her complaint, the actress noted that the young woman made severe accusations without providing any evidence, causing significant material and moral harm and contributing to the tarnishing of her public image.<\/p>\n

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Don’t miss: Balqas, Zagazig, Gerga, Imbaba: Deaths as Side Effects of Detention in Police Stations<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n

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Moral Accusations Take Center Stage<\/strong><\/h3>\n

A few days after the arrest of Marwa Yousry, the Ministry of Interior launched a security campaign targeting several individuals mentioned in the videos previously posted by Yousry. In those clips, she alleged that some of them were supporting a well-known actress whom she accused of being involved in organ trafficking.<\/p>\n

However, the Ministry\u2019s official statements made no mention of these allegations. Instead, the charges were limited to common offenses such as \u201cpublic indecency,\u201d \u201cthreatening family values,\u201d and \u201cmisuse of social media\u201d\u2014the same accusations frequently used in Egypt to prosecute digital content creators.<\/p>\n

In this context, journalist and researcher on economic and social affairs Mona Ezzat noted that a young woman named Marwa had recently appeared making what she described as serious claims\u2014including affiliating herself with a well-known political figure and accusing specific individuals of grave crimes. In Ezzat\u2019s view, such statements should warrant a transparent official investigation.<\/p>\n

Speaking to Zawia3<\/strong>, Ezzat said: \u201cWhat actually happened was shocking; instead of investigating those unprecedented allegations, the charges against the individuals mentioned were limited to (public indecency), (morality violations), and (threats to family values)\u2014generic accusations that have been repeatedly used against content creators and have no direct connection to Marwa\u2019s claims.\u201d<\/p>\n

She added: \u201cWe\u2019re facing a concerning situation, where the original accusations weren\u2019t treated seriously. Instead, we\u2019ve fallen back into a familiar, repetitive pattern, using ready-made legal formulas to target those producing non-conventional content.\u201d<\/p>\n

Ezzat argues that had the authorities genuinely decided to investigate Marwa\u2019s statements, it would have been expected to conduct inquiries into sources of income, lifestyle patterns, and perhaps the social circles of those mentioned. But she noted: \u201cSo far, we\u2019ve seen nothing of the sort.\u201d<\/p>\n

She concluded her statement by saying: \u201cIf the Public Prosecution\u2014or any competent authority\u2014has determined that Marwa\u2019s claims are entirely false, then a clear public statement should have been issued to clarify that. And if her claims are true, then we should be witnessing real investigations. What the public needs now is transparency and clarity: Are there actual investigations into Marwa\u2019s allegations? Or are we simply witnessing a recycled legal path used whenever digital content clashes with prevailing social norms?\u201d<\/p>\n

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A Renewed Pattern of Targeting TikTok Content Creators<\/strong><\/h3>\n

In a press release,<\/a> the Egyptian Initiative for Personal Rights (EIPR) stated that the recent security crackdown on TikTok content creators represents the peak of a long-standing trajectory of repression that began more than five years ago. The Initiative described this trajectory as reflecting a deep-seated hostility from the state and its security and legal apparatuses toward this form of expression\u2014rooted in classist, gendered, and moral standards, most of which lack clear legal definitions.<\/p>\n

The statement traced the beginning of this pattern to April 2020, when Haneen Hossam\u2014then one of the most prominent TikTok users\u2014was arrested on charges of belonging to an \u201cinternational human trafficking ring.\u201d That case, according to the statement, marked the launch of a continuous campaign against digital content and personal expression, during which Article 25 of the Anti-Cybercrime Law (Law No. 175 of 2018) was frequently used to issue sweeping charges like \u201cpublic indecency\u201d and \u201cviolating family values.\u201d The Initiative described this article as having become a key tool for criminalizing freedom of expression in Egypt.<\/p>\n

The statement also noted the ongoing use of the slogan \u201cLet it be cleansed\u201d (“\u062e\u0644\u064a\u0647\u0627 \u062a\u0646\u0636\u0641”)\u2014first circulated at the start of these campaigns in 2020\u2014as a rallying cry for waves of mass arrests. These have often been fueled by bouts of \u201cmoral panic,\u201d at times under claims of human trafficking, and at others by allegations of organ trade, all without public investigations or published evidence.<\/p>\n

According to EIPR’s documentation, this campaign has affected at least 151 individuals across 109 separate cases\u2014cases for which the organization has either provided legal support or directly reviewed court documents. It emphasized that the actual number is likely much higher.<\/p>\n

The statement added that the scope of targeting has gradually expanded\u2014from an initial focus on women and female content creators on TikTok, to the prosecution of individuals expressing religious views that differ from official religious discourse, or those suspected of their sexual orientation, and even minors and individuals charged based on private content never shared publicly.<\/p>\n

The Initiative highlighted that Article 25 is no longer applied to a specific demographic, but now encompasses citizens from various backgrounds\u2014within a legal framework that criminalizes expression without clear standards or proof of an actual crime.<\/p>\n

EIPR also partly blamed the Public Prosecution\u2019s official discourse, which, since 2020, has called on citizens\u2014through posts on Facebook\u2014to report \u201cunacceptable content.\u201d According to the statement, this has entrenched a culture of social surveillance and encouraged individuals, including lawyers, to systematically monitor and report digital content.<\/p>\n

Speaking to Zawia3<\/strong>, human rights lawyer Halim Henish stated that the latest campaign reflects a deeper crisis in the state\u2019s security and political mindset. He said: \u201cAnyone who expresses their opinion in a protest is imprisoned. Anyone who complains about prices on TikTok is imprisoned. Anyone who creates content that the authorities disapprove of is imprisoned. It\u2019s as if the only solution on the table is the iron fist\u2014even in spaces that should be arenas for free expression, not crime.\u201d<\/p>\n

Henish pointed out that much of the content labeled as \u201cimmoral\u201d or \u201cdamaging to society\u2019s image\u201d does not rise to the level of criminality, and could be addressed through less extreme measures\u2014such as issuing warnings, removing the content, or contacting the platform\u2014instead of immediately resorting to criminal charges.<\/p>\n

He continued: \u201cMy second concern involves the complaints filed by certain lawyers. A lawyer is supposed to be a guardian of rights and freedoms\u2014not a tool for incitement against individuals over entertainment or expressive content that carries no criminal nature.\u201d<\/p>\n

Henish also noted that the absence of clear legal definitions for terms like \u201cmodesty\u201d or \u201cfamily values\u201d leads to sharp social inconsistencies, as content might be deemed offensive in one city but entirely acceptable in another\u2014highlighting the fragility of the legal basis for such accusations.<\/p>\n

He concluded his remarks by emphasizing that these incitement campaigns and complaints don\u2019t happen in a vacuum; they are often orchestrated by the same groups that attack refugees, political dissidents, and promote sectarian rhetoric. He added: \u201cWhat\u2019s especially troubling this time is the involvement of individuals who identify as human rights defenders in these campaigns. If being a rights defender means defending freedom of expression, then how can such individuals become instruments of moral and legal pressure against citizens just because their views don\u2019t align with their own? It\u2019s a dangerous paradox.\u201d<\/p>\n

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A Campaign Led by Morality-Enforcing Lawyers<\/strong><\/h3>\n

The recent campaign\u2014dubbed \u201cThe Purge\u201d\u2014included the active involvement of several lawyers who played a prominent role in escalating the crackdown on social media content creators. They launched a broad offensive across digital platforms and submitted formal complaints to investigative authorities demanding the arrest and prosecution of those accused of \u201coffending family values\u201d and \u201cpublishing indecent content.\u201d<\/p>\n

Among the lawyers leading the recent wave of complaints, one name stood out: Ahmed Mehran, Director of the Cairo Center for Political and Legal Studies and a member of the Freedoms Committee of the Bar Association. Mehran is known for his controversial stances, both in court and in media appearances. In 2022, he sparked public outrage after defending Mohamed Adel, the convicted killer of university student Naira Ashraf. Mehran called for donations to pay blood money on Adel\u2019s behalf, in an effort to save him from execution\u2014an initiative that provoked sharp criticism from the public.<\/p>\n

That wasn\u2019t his first controversy. In 2021, Mehran publicly advocated for what became known as \u201cpart-time marriage,\u201d a form of temporary partial marriage. The Egyptian Dar al-Ifta (Fatwa Authority) swiftly rejected the proposal, condemning it as \u201ca destabilization of societal values and a publicity stunt dressed in modern, meaningless terminology.\u201d<\/p>\n

Over the years, Mehran has consistently presented himself as a defender of \u201ccommunity values\u201d and the \u201cidentity of the Egyptian family,\u201d filing repeated complaints against those he sees as threatening the country\u2019s \u201cmoral security.\u201d<\/p>\n

Another key figure is Counselor Ashraf Farahat, a cassation lawyer and one of the most visible legal faces behind the judicial persecution of content creators in Egypt. He was among the first to file official complaints against several \u201cTikTok celebrities\u201d as part of a campaign he titled \u201cPurifying Society.\u201d Farahat has played a major role in the recent crackdown on TikTok content creators.<\/p>\n

Farahat\u2019s legal activism began with politically and security-oriented cases, such as calling for the banning of the April 6 Movement and designating it a \u201cterrorist entity,\u201d as well as seeking to ban football ultras groups. He also filed complaints against public figures like Hamdeen Sabahi and Abdel Moneim Aboul Fotouh. But over time, his focus shifted toward moral and cultural persecution, targeting artists and influencers for alleged \u201cindecent acts\u201d or \u201cpublic indecency.\u201d<\/p>\n

He has filed complaints against high-profile figures, including actress Rania Youssef over a dress she wore at the Cairo International Film Festival, and singer Ahmed Saad after a video in which he criticized economic conditions. He also led a series of complaints against \u201cTikTok girls\u201d such as Haneen Hossam and Mawada Eladhm, accusing them of \u201cundermining societal values\u201d and \u201cspreading debauchery.\u201d<\/p>\n

Aziza El-Tawil, a human rights lawyer at the Egyptian Initiative for Personal Rights, described the so-called \u201cpurge campaign\u201d led by lawyers through mass complaints against content creators as \u201cboth unfortunate and shameful.\u201d<\/p>\n

Speaking to Zawia3, El-Tawil said: \u201cIt\u2019s painful to see some lawyers\u2014who are supposed to be defenders of freedom\u2014become instruments of repression, hiding behind vague slogans like \u2018preserving morals\u2019 or \u2018protecting the family.\u2019 A lawyer\u2019s role is to defend rights, not to police people\u2019s choices of expression.\u201d<\/p>\n

She continued: \u201cWhat\u2019s more disturbing is that this clampdown isn\u2019t only coming from the state apparatus, but is increasingly backed by a wave of public anger that demands the \u2018cleansing\u2019 of society and the exclusion of entire groups\u2014using rhetoric that claims to uphold values. This kind of language, full of glittering terms about morality and purity, reminds us more of the Inquisition than of a modern legal state.\u201d<\/p>\n

El-Tawil warned that what\u2019s happening poses \u201ca dual threat\u2014legal and societal,\u201d cautioning that \u201cif this path continues, we may end up with a model of selective justice, where the law becomes a tool of political and moral punishment, rather than a means of protecting rights and ensuring justice.\u201d<\/p>\n

In the same context, the Foundation for Law and Democracy Support issued a statement warning that the Egyptian authorities\u2019 lax approach to hisbah cases at times, and active use of them at others, has turned them into \u201ca sword hanging over the necks of opinion-holders, content creators, and artists\u201d\u2014a tool for intimidation and persecution in an environment where laws are weaponized to silence dissent.<\/p>\n

The statement added that what makes this situation more dangerous is the \u201ctransformation of hisbah into a profession for those seeking fame,\u201d noting that \u201csome lawyers have dedicated themselves to tracking online content and submitting mass complaints under moral pretexts, acting as self-appointed guardians of Egyptian society, dictating what is and isn\u2019t acceptable to watch or circulate.\u201d<\/p>\n

It continued: \u201cInstead of simply choosing not to watch content they find inappropriate, these individuals resort to legal instruments to suppress freedom of expression and creativity\u2014behavior that has no place in a democratic society or a state that respects pluralism.\u201d<\/p>\n

On the other hand, human rights lawyer Hala Douma commented on the wave of complaints and accusations against content creators in Egypt, telling Zawia3: \u201cLegally speaking, any individual has the right to file a complaint against another. It\u2019s the job of law enforcement to collect preliminary evidence and present it to the Public Prosecution, which then decides whether legal action is warranted\u2014such as issuing arrest warrants\u2014or whether the complaint should be dismissed.\u201d<\/p>\n

Douma added that the recent cases tied to the crackdown on digital content creators remain shrouded in ambiguity: \u201cSo far, the available information\u2014whether from Interior Ministry statements or media coverage\u2014is insufficient to form a comprehensive legal opinion. We don\u2019t know exactly what evidence has been presented or whether the alleged offenses meet the legal criteria for criminal charges.\u201d<\/p>\n

She emphasized the serious implications of what\u2019s happening on social media, saying: \u201cIt\u2019s troubling that many online users are violating the presumption of innocence\u2014a fundamental legal principle\u2014by engaging in behaviors that may legally amount to incitement, defamation, or slander, all directed at individuals who haven\u2019t been convicted in any court. Some posts even call for physical harm against detainees, or circulate unverified images and claims. This doesn\u2019t just violate the rights of the accused\u2014it undermines the integrity of justice itself.\u201d<\/p>\n

Meanwhile, MP Ahmed Badawi, head of the Telecommunications Committee in Egypt\u2019s House of Representatives, announced in a press statement that the committee had held several meetings with representatives from TikTok Egypt before the most recent parliamentary session concluded. The meetings aimed to \u201cimprove published content,\u201d with Badawi affirming the state\u2019s support for investment in the tech sector\u2014but also warning that the platform could be banned and subjected to Egypt\u2019s Cybercrime Law if no \u201csignificant improvement\u201d occurs.<\/p>\n

This warning falls under Article 7 of Law No. 175\/2018, which grants investigative authorities the right to order the blocking of websites that publish \u201cphrases, images, videos, or similar content\u201d that constitute crimes under the law and \u201cpose a threat to national security or the economy.\u201d<\/p>\n

According to the Egyptian Initiative for Personal Rights, Badawi\u2019s statements echo what happened in 2020, when Egyptian officials held meetings with representatives from BIGO, the company that owns the Likee app, in the presence of the Chinese ambassador to Cairo\u2014coinciding with a large-scale crackdown on content creators using that platform.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Egypt arrests TikTok creators in a new wave of moral crackdowns, using vague cybercrime laws and hisbah-style legal complaints. Rights groups warn of rising repression<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":4,"featured_media":13599,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"om_disable_all_campaigns":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[390],"tags":[12344,12345,12342,12352,12341,12348,12351,12350,12346,12343,12347,12349],"kateb":[12053],"class_list":["post-13751","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-human-rights","tag-ahmed-mehran","tag-ashraf-farahat","tag-content-creators-egypt","tag-cybercrime-law-egypt","tag-egypt-tiktok-arrests","tag-egyptian-digital-repression","tag-egyptian-influencers-arrested","tag-freedom-of-expression-egypt","tag-hisbah-egypt","tag-morality-crackdown-egypt","tag-public-indecency-charges","tag-tiktok-censorship-egypt","kateb-mariam-gaber"],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/zawia3.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/08\/\u062a\u064a\u0643-\u062a\u0648\u0643-1.png","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/zawia3.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/13751","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/zawia3.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/zawia3.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/zawia3.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/4"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/zawia3.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=13751"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/zawia3.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/13751\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":13752,"href":"https:\/\/zawia3.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/13751\/revisions\/13752"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/zawia3.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/13599"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/zawia3.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=13751"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/zawia3.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=13751"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/zawia3.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=13751"},{"taxonomy":"kateb","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/zawia3.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/kateb?post=13751"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}