KEY POINTS
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Egypt intensifies passport price hike crackdown on TikTok influencers.
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Vague indecency laws give authorities wide leeway to prosecute.
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Rights groups say campaign is silencing free expression online.
Egyptian authorities are intensifying a campaign against social media influencers, detaining dozens of teen TikTokkers with millions of followers on charges ranging from violating “family values” to money laundering. The sweep underscores how online platforms—once a refuge for free expression in a tightly controlled media landscape—are increasingly under state scrutiny.
Passport price hike crackdown intensifies online tension
Police and prosecutors say at least 10 investigations are underway into alleged illicit financial gains, with travel bans, asset freezes, and confiscated devices imposed on content creators. Rights advocates argue the vague morality provisions being used to prosecute them are designed less to uphold decency than to silence free expression.
Among those jailed is 19-year-old influencer Mariam Ayman, known online as Suzy El Ordonia, who amassed 9.4 million followers. She has been in custody since August 2, accused of posting indecent content and laundering 15 million Egyptian pounds ($300,000). Her lawyer said indecency laws are arbitrarily applied, leaving creators vulnerable to prosecution over any post authorities decide has crossed a line.
Passport price hike laws used to silence critics
The crackdown is backed by a 2018 cybercrime law criminalizing online acts deemed to violate Egyptian family values. Rights group EIPR says at least 151 people have been charged under the provision in recent years. Critics warn the standard is so broad that content typical of mainstream television can be used as grounds for prosecution.
According to Reuters, Suzy’s rise to fame reflected the platform’s potential for young Egyptians to earn money and gain visibility. But her detention—and the arrest of podcaster Mohamed Abdel Aaty shortly after interviewing her—highlights the risks creators now face. Activists say the campaign has expanded beyond women influencers to include religious dissenters, LGBT people, and even those whose private content was leaked.
The Interior Ministry has encouraged citizens to report “immoral” content, while its own TikTok account regularly comments on videos urging compliance. Meanwhile, TikTok says it enforces its community guidelines, removing nearly 3 million videos in Egypt last quarter alone.
