Egypt jails TikTok women influencers

An Egyptian court has sentenced five female social media influencers to two years in jail each on charges of violating public morals.

The verdict against Haneen Hossam, Mowada al-Adham and three others came after they had posted footage on video-sharing app TikTok.

The ruling, which can be appealed, included a fine of 300,000 Egyptian pounds ($18,750) for each defendant, the source noted.

Haneen Hossam, 20, a Cairo University student, was charged for encouraging young women to meet men through a video app and build friendships with them, receiving a fee according to the number of followers watching these chats.

Mawada al-Adham, a TikTok and Instagram influencer with at least two million followers, was accused of publishing indecent photos and videos on social media. The three other women were charged with helping Hossam and Al-Adham manage their social media accounts, according to the public prosecution.

Several rights activists took to social media to condemn the arrests.

Egypt has cracked down in recent years on female singers and dancers for online content deemed too racy or suggestive.