On April 18, 2022, an Egyptian court reduced the 10-year sentence of TikTok influencer Haneen Hossam to three years, a judicial source revealed. The court also fined her 200,000 Egyptian pounds ($10,800).
While the jail time was reduced, Hossam was also fined 200,000 Egyptian pounds ($10,800) by the Cairo Criminal Court, said the source.
Her case has sparked a heated debate in Egypt over what constitutes individual freedoms and social values. The targeting of female influencers has raised concerns about the country's strict internet controls and laws allowing authorities to block websites seen as a threat to national security.
According to reports, Hossam was first arrested in 2020 and, along with another influencer Mowada al-Adham, was sentenced to two years for “attacking society’s values” in their videos. However, an appeals court acquitted the pair in January last year but they were later charged with “human trafficking” for ostensibly profiting off girls’ “immodest” social media activity.
Her lawyer Hussein al-Baqar confirmed to AFP that the sentence had been reduced. As she has already served 21 months including time under investigation, “she can be released in June or July,” Baqar said, adding the latest sentence could still be appealed.
