An Egyptian court has sentenced a popular influencer, Manar Samy to three years imprisonment over Tiktok videos that are considered offensive to public decency.
A judicial source revealed that prosecutors found her videos in which she dances and lip-syncs to popular music as an attempt to commit prostitution.
Manar’s sentence is the latest in a string of such rulings against popular female social media users in Egypt over content posted on TikTok and Instagram.
Meanwhile, the verdict can be appealed and includes a fine of 300,000 Egyptian pounds ($19,000) as her bail was set at 20,000 pounds.
However, her lawyer, Hani Basyoni later disclosed that the bail has been paid but her release could be postponed until after the Eid al-Adha holiday adding that the court scheduled an appeal hearing for August 15.
TikTok Videos
Samy was arrested earlier in July on charges of inciting debauchery, immorality and stirring up instincts through her online videos.
The ruling came days after another court sentenced five female social media influencers to two years each in jail over content posted to TikTok.
In the meantime, the arrest and prosecution of female influencers rekindled a heated debate in Egypt over what constitutes individual freedoms and social norms.
