Six influencers arrested for ‘indecent’ dress at awards show

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

Adonay Berhane, 25, a lifestyle and inspirational creator with nearly 4 million followers, has been named “TikToker of the Year” at the 2025 Ethiopian Creative Awards – an awards ceremony that is now the center of controversy.

Police said late Wednesday that he was under investigation.

The detentions sparked widespread debate on Ethiopian social media.

Supporters argue the arrests infringe on free speech and stifle creativity, while conservatives defend police and insist that public figures must respect cultural norms.

Those arrested include Wongelawit Gebre Endrias, also known as Evan, who posts lifestyle and fashion videos on TikTok. At the event, she went braless and wore an oversized blazer.

Wearing a man bag was Yohannes Mekonnen, aka Jahnny, a dancer and content critic who received the video production award at the ceremony.

Adonai is pictured wearing an open-collared shirt.

Berketkeeked, Micdm Derejes and Giran Gezaheen work on aesthetics.

None of the six influential people have spoken about their treatment.

But Abeba Gebru, Adonay Berhane’s mother, was shocked by the news.

She told BBC Tigrinya that Adonai was her “pillar” and “a role model for Ethiopian youth”.

Adonai spent his teenage years in Canada before returning to Ethiopia, and much of his TikTok content warns of the negative consequences of being an immigrant. He urged his followers to live and work in their homeland.

The Ethiopian government has not yet commented on the matter, but police said the detainees were suspected of promoting behavior that undermined public morals, citing concerns about the growing influence of online trends on Ethiopian youth.

With more than 8 million social media users across the country, the incident highlights growing tensions between Ethiopia’s rapidly expanding digital culture and long-held traditional expectations.

Federal police warned of further action against anyone who “violates the country’s cultural values” or promotes what they describe as “shallow culture”.