An Egyptian-born, naturalised Italian belly dancer has been arrested in Cairo amid a renewed crackdown on the traditional art form, la Repubblica reported on Monday.
Sohila Tarek Hassan Haggag, known professionally as Linda Martino, was detained at Cairo Airport two weeks ago while en route to Dubai. Authorities accuse her of “instigating depravity” through provocative performances and social media content. She is also under investigation for carrying what Egyptian officials have called proceeds of immoral activity.
Although Martino holds Italian citizenship through marriage, Egyptian authorities consider her an Egyptian national and are prosecuting her accordingly. Her first hearing has yet to be scheduled.
Martino is a high-profile figure in Egypt, known not only for her performances as a belly dancer but also for her presence on social media, where she has a substantial following. The charges against her include appearing in “indecent clothing” and performing dances designed to “incite vice,” according to official documentation from Egypt’s moral crimes unit.
She is the sixth dancer to face arrest in Egypt over similar accusations in the past five years. One such case involves Katerina Andreeva, who was recently sentenced to a year of hard labour on related charges.
The crackdown comes at odds with ongoing efforts to have Egyptian belly dancing recognised by UNESCO as part of the world’s intangible cultural heritage. Leading that effort is Amie Sultan, one of Egypt’s best-known belly dancers and a vocal critic of how the art form has been treated in recent decades.
Sultan has called for the rehabilitation of Oriental dance’s reputation and wants to restore its traditional cultural significance in its country of origin.
Egyptian authorities, however, continue to view certain performances as contrary to public morals, despite the dance’s deep historical roots in Egyptian heritage.
