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Belly dancer arrested in Egypt for ‘seductive and provocative’ performances: Report
Egyptian authorities arrested belly dancer Linda Martino at Cairo airport on June 22, accusing her of “corrupting public morals” with provocative dance videos.
An Egyptian belly dancer has reportedly been arrested in Cairo for posting videos of what authorities described as “seductive” and “provocative” performances on Instagram and TikTok.
The Egyptian-born performer, identified as Sohila Tarek Hassan Haggag, who later acquired Italian citizenship, is popularly known by her stage name ‘Linda Martino’. She has amassed over two million followers across her social media platforms.
According The Telegraph, her arrest followed an investigation sparked by videos on her Instagram account, in which she appears in revealing outfits, moves suggestively, and refers to herself as “more than you can handle.”
She is expected to remain in detention for at least two more weeks, according to media reports.
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‘Corrupting public morals’
Egyptian authorities arrested her at Cairo airport on June 22, charging her with “corrupting public morals” through her provocative dance performances.
According to investigators, Haggag “appeared in indecent clothing, deliberately exposing sensitive areas of the body, in blatant violation of social values.”
At the time of her arrest, she was reportedly carrying a large amount of cash, which officials claimed was earned through “activities liable to instigate depravity.”
The Cairo prosecutor further alleged that she “used seductive techniques and provocative dances to incite vice.”
The Italian embassy in Cairo has requested urgent clarification regarding her case. She was previously married to an Italian and is believed to have family in the Veneto region.
Her videos – frequently shot at prominent venues and accompanied by trending Egyptian music – have drawn millions of views across Instagram and TikTok.
The accusations also extend to an ongoing investigation into a cabaret on Egypt’s north coast, where legal records state that Haggag “appeared in indecent clothing, deliberately exposing sensitive areas of her body, in clear violation of public morals and social values.”
According to the documents, quoted by The Telegraph, “The investigations have ascertained that Linda used seduction techniques and provocative dances to incite vice.”
Egyptian crackdown on artists
In recent years, Egypt has intensified its crackdown on artists and social media influencers accused of violating public morality laws.
According to Italian media, under President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi’s administration, at least five belly dancers have been imprisoned on charges similar to those now faced by Haggag.
Among them is Katerina Andreeva, another well-known belly dancer, who reportedly received a one-year prison sentence on similar grounds.
Amie Sultan, a prominent Egyptian actress and one of the country’s best-known belly dancers, has been advocating for the art form to be given more cultural respect in its country of origin.
According to a 2022 report by the BBC, human rights organisations criticised an Egyptian court for sentencing two popular singers over a video they had created featuring Brazilian belly dancer Lordiana.
In the video, which gained widespread popularity on YouTube in 2020 and amassed millions of views, the singers were seen lip-syncing and smiling as Lordiana danced modestly in a long dress and jacket.
However, a court in Alexandria ruled that the video violated “family values” — a judgment seen as part of Egypt’s broader suppression of artistic expression. The singers, Hamo Beeka and Omar Kamal, were convicted of profiting from the video and sentenced to one year in prison. They were also fined 10,000 Egyptian pounds (about $540), with an option to suspend their sentences by paying an equivalent amount.
Human Rights Watch has criticised Egypt for increasingly using vague and “abusive” interpretations of family values to police content on social media. The organisation has called for the repeal of cybercrime law provisions that restrict freedom of expression.
Over a dozen young female influencers have also been charged under these laws, and some have received hefty fines and prison terms of up to five years.
