What in the World - Ethiopia arrests TikTok creators over ‘indecent’ outfits

Download Ethiopia arrests TikTok creators over ‘indecent’ outfits

At the end of November, Ethiopia’s biggest social media creators gathered in Addis Ababa for the Ethiopia Creative Awards. It was supposed to be a night celebrating the thriving digital culture but the outfits of the attendees stole the spotlight. A few weeks later six creators were arrested and detained for wearing “indecent attire” at the event and undermining public morality - but what exactly does that mean?

Kalkidan Yibeltal, a BBC journalist based in Nairobi, tells us about cultural expectations for clothing in Ethiopia and why the outfits sparked so much controversy there.

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Published on Friday, 19th December 2025.

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