In Egypt, three TikTokers detained for “terrorism”

A special Egyptian court has extended the detention of three TikTokeurs and a labor activist, accusing them of "

" apparently for online sketches, one of their lawyers told AFP on Monday (February 6th).

Few details are available on this case because, explains Me Nabeh Elganadi, the State Security Court, whose verdicts cannot be appealed, is not required to communicate the files nor the details charges to the defence.

“Spreading false information”

"

" in January at their respective homes, he says.

But the three actors, who together have more than a million subscribers, remain in preventive detention for 15 more days for "

", "

", "

" and "

", so many accusations regularly brandished against opponents or activists in Egypt.

The three Tiktokeurs had published a video in January in which they depicted a young woman visiting her fiancé in prison.

The fourth detainee, Mohammed Hachem, a labor activist, "

" and had been arrested earlier in January, says Elganadi.

“

” and then found himself in the same case as the three TikTokeurs, he continues.

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Human rights lawyers say lawsuits for texts or videos posted online have increased in recent years in Egypt.

Last year, four Tiktokeurs were arrested for a parody song about inflation and soaring prices in the country in the midst of an economic crisis.

Egypt, the most populous of the Arab countries with 104.5 million inhabitants, has, according to human rights defenders, more than 60,000 prisoners of conscience.

During his visit to Cairo in January, US Secretary of State Antony Blinken called on Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sissi to release them all, after meeting with several human rights figures in the country.

He had welcomed the recent releases of hundreds of political prisoners.

But according to human rights organisations, more have since been arrested.