CAIRO — Accusations such as violating Egyptian family values, offending public morality and, at times, even human trafficking and prostitution — these are some of the charges frequently brought against influencers and content creators on TikTok.
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The app, once a favorite among young Egyptians in their 20s, has now become associated with prison cells and the offices of Egypt’s Supreme State Security Prosecution. Haneen, Mawada, Hadir and others — young women who did nothing more than post satirical videos similar to countless others on the same platform — were accused of undermining family values and violating public decency. These accusations have increasingly been weaponized against women in Egypt’s online space, as well as across the region.
The latest charge against some TikTok content creators is that of joining a terrorist organization and spreading false news —charges now levied against “Suzy Al Ordoneya” (Suzy the Jordanian), despite the fact that she has never produced “political” content. “Membership and dissemination” is a familiar accusation in Egypt, commonly used against political dissidents. But a glance at Suzy’s account reveals no political stance — neither directly nor indirectly.
Suzy’s legal ordeal
Suzy, a 19-year-old from the Matariya neighborhood of Cairo, now posts melancholic messages on Instagram following her release. She has no idea why she was charged with terrorism and believes she may have simply been the victim of envy. Egypt’s Public Prosecution released Suzy — whose real name is Maryam El-Dessouki — after she was detained for four days pending investigation over accusations of joining a terrorist group and spreading false news. Her arrest was triggered by an advertisement she made for a labor recruitment company overseas.
This is not the first time Suzy has faced charges. Previously, the Matariya Misdemeanor Court sentenced her to two years in prison and a fine of 300,000 Egyptian pounds (around ,900), with an additional bail of 100,000 pounds (nearly ,000), following a complaint filed by a lawyer who accused her of “violating public morality” in one of her videos.
The irony is striking.
Suzy became famous for her catchphrase “the street behind us,” which was widely used by actors and social media personalities. She even made a brief appearance in the TV series “80 Bako,” starring Egyptian actress Huda El-Mufti, on the same day she was arrested. Yet, none of the show’s creators commented on her imprisonment or showed any support for her.
The irony is striking — none of those who used Suzy’s catchphrases were accused of violating public decency or undermining family values. Furthermore, the grounds for charging Suzy with joining a terrorist organization remain unknown, as such accusations are typically based on National Security investigations, which are not made available for public scrutiny.
Purposefully vague
Human rights lawyer Nabih El-Genady, who represents Suzy, told Daraj that “Maryam El-Dessouki, known as Suzy Al Ordoneya, was charged with joining a banned organization and spreading false news — both cases handled by National Security. Yet she was not charged with violating family values in this particular case.”
Regarding the family values charge that has been used to prosecute several female content creators on TikTok, El-Genady explained: “When the Cybercrime Law was enacted in 2018, it introduced the charge of ‘undermining Egyptian family values‘ but failed to define what those values are. This ambiguity has led some lawyers to argue that the article is unconstitutional, as the Egyptian constitution mandates clarity in legal provisions.”
This law is left vague to be used against anyone deemed undesirable.
The law was initially passed without an executive regulation, which was only issued a year later — yet even that regulation failed to specify the meaning of “family values.” A policy brief by the Masaar Center for Legal and Digital Rights notes that the law’s ambiguous wording has allowed authorities to expand its use against users of entertainment apps and social media platforms.
“This law is left vague to be used against anyone deemed undesirable or anyone who challenges traditions and customs—from the authorities’ perspective. That is why cases may be dismissed by one judge but upheld by another, as the charge itself lacks a clear legal foundation,” El-Genady added.
He argues that the relentless crackdown on female content creators and influencers is merely an attempt to appease public opinion. The prosecution portrays itself as the guardian of Egyptian identity, morality, religion and deeply rooted social traditions — traditions that are the very source of this prosecution.
What about male influencers?
While female influencers face accusations of “offending public decency,” what happens to their male counterparts?
Karawan Mashakel, a popular TikTok content creator and an actor with only a single scene in the TV series “Batn Al-Hout,” was sentenced to six months in prison on charges of “public indecency” for a TikTok video he posted.
Even influencers producing serious content have not been spared. Ahmed Abou Zeid, creator of the educational “Doros Online” YouTube channel, was arrested in December last year on charges of possessing foreign currency and trading it outside official banking channels. The funds came from his YouTube earnings, which he later described upon his release as “the hard-earned savings of a lifetime.”
The crackdown on TikTok creators is linked to Egypt’s broader social and legal climate.
Legal expert and appellate lawyer Hala Douma told Daraj: “The charge of undermining Egyptian family values, like any legal provision, can be applied to both men and women, but in practice, it overwhelmingly targets women.”
When asked about the difference between Suzy’s case and those of Haneen Hossam and Mawada El-Adham, Douma explained: “The charge of human trafficking, which was brought against Haneen and Mawada, has both material and moral components, making it a charge that lawyers can contest and defend in court. While ‘family values’ is a much vaguer charge without clear legal elements.”
A morality war
Suzy is not the first female content creator to be accused of joining a terrorist organization. Douma says she has represented other young women with no political affiliations who faced the same charge before Egypt’s Supreme State Security Prosecution.
Douma argues that the crackdown on TikTok creators is linked to Egypt’s broader social and legal climate, which is resistant to the idea of women exercising autonomy over their bodies. That resistance is reflected in law enforcement; monitoring units are specifically tasked with identifying women who “deviate” from social norms online. Meanwhile, the authorities are slow to act when women face harassment, defamation or even death threats.
The state reduces morality to women’s bodies, their behavior, and the standards they are expected to uphold.
Douma also points to the role of “Hesba lawyers” — self-proclaimed moral guardians who file lawsuits against female influencers as a means to gain media attention or political clout. The crackdown on Suzy and other influencers is part of the larger collapse of public freedoms in Egypt. While morality and public decency remain highly subjective concepts, varying between individuals, classes and regions, the Egyptian state insists on upholding them. Yet the burden of maintaining these so-called morals falls disproportionately on women.
Rather than defining these values or establishing clear legal boundaries, the state reduces morality to women’s bodies, their behavior, and the standards they are expected to uphold.
