Six influencers arrested for ‘indecent’ dress at awards ceremony

Ethiopian police have arrested a sixth popular TikTok creator days after five other influencers were detained over allegations of wearing “indecent attire” at a public event in the culturally conservative country.

Adonay Berhane, 25, is a lifestyle and motivational creator with close to four million followers, who was named “TikToker of the Year” at the TikTok Creative Award 2025 – the same ceremony now at the centre of the controversy.

Police said on Wednesday evening that he was under investigation.

The detentions have ignited widespread debate across Ethiopian social media.

Supporters argue the arrests violate freedom of expression and stifle creativity, while conservative voices have defended the police, insisting that public figures must respect cultural norms.

Among those arrested were Wongelawit Gebre Endrias, aka Evan, who posts lifestyle and fashion videos to TikTok. At the event she went braless under an oversized blazer jacket.

Sporting a man-bag was Yohannes Mekonnen, known as Jahnny, a dancer and content reviewer who won an award for video production at the ceremony.

Adonay was pictured wearing an open-necked shirt.

Bereket Tsegaye, Mekdim Dereje and Girum Gezahegn are were also detained.

None of the six influencers have spoken about their treatment.

But the mother of Adonay Berhane – Abeba Gebru – was shocked by the news.

Adonay is her “backbone” and an “example to Ethiopian youth”, she told BBC Tigrinya.

Having spent his teenage years in Canada, Adonay returned to Ethiopia and much of his TikTok content warns of the negative sides of becoming an immigrant. He urges his followers to live and work in their homeland instead.

Ethiopia’s government has not commented on the matter, but police said the detainees were suspected of promoting behaviour that undermines public morality – citing concerns about the growing influence of online trends on Ethiopian youth.

With more than eight million social media users nationwide, the incident highlights the growing strain between Ethiopia’s rapidly expanding digital culture and longstanding traditional expectations.

Federal police warn that further action will be taken against anyone “violating the country’s cultural values” or promoting what they described as “shallow culture.”