Egypt

Brickbat: Song and Dance

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Egyptian authorities arrested belly dancer Sohila Tarek Hassan Haggag at Cairo International Airport, charging her with "corrupting public morals" over dance videos posted on social media, where she has over 2 million followers. The arrest is part of a broader crackdown under President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi's government, which has jailed at least five other belly dancers in recent years for similar morality-related charges. Haggag, a naturalized Italian citizen who returned to Egypt after divorcing an Italian, faces allegations of wearing "indecent clothing" and using "seductive techniques." The Italian embassy in Cairo has gotten involved in the case.