Belly Dancer Gets Jailed; Linda Martino’s Instagram Lands Her In Egyptian Prison

Egyptian-born dancer Sohila Haggag, known professionally as Linda Martino, has been arrested in Cairo on charges of violating public morality. The naturalized Italian citizen was detained at Cairo International Airport on June 22. Authorities allege that Martino’s Instagram videos, where she appears in revealing outfits and shares flirtatious captions, “deliberately exposed sensitive areas” and used “provocative dances to incite vice.” During her arrest, officials also reportedly found a large amount of undeclared cash. The case is largely built around her digital persona and bold online image. Martino, who was previously married to an Italian man, had returned to Egypt years ago to build her performance career. Her arrest is part of a broader crackdown under President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi, which has seen at least five other belly dancers jailed in recent years for content deemed immoral.