Ethiopian police have arrested a sixth popular TikTok creator days after five other social media influencers were detained over allegations of wearing “indecent” clothing at a high-profile awards ceremony, deepening a national debate over culture and free expression.
Lifestyle and motivational creator Adonay Berhane, 25, who has nearly four million followers and was named “TikToker of the Year” at the Ethiopia Creative Award 2025, was taken into custody on Wednesday evening. Police said he was under investigation for behaviour allegedly undermining public morality.
The event, which honoured digital content creators, has become the focus of a backlash in the culturally conservative country, where more than eight million people now use social media.
Supporters of the influencers say the arrests are an attack on freedom of expression and an attempt to intimidate young creatives. Conservative commentators, however, have defended the police action, arguing that high-profile figures must respect Ethiopia’s cultural and religious norms.
Among those earlier detained was Wongelawit Gebre Endrias, known online as Evan, who posts lifestyle and fashion clips on TikTok and attended the ceremony braless under an oversized blazer. Also held was dancer and content reviewer Yohannes Mekonnen, known as Jahnny, who wore a man-bag and won a prize for video production. Adonay appeared at the event in an open-necked shirt.
Three other influencers — Bereket Tsegaye, Mekdim Dereje and Girum Gezahegn — were also arrested. None of the six have publicly commented on their treatment in custody.
Adonay’s mother, Abeba Gebru, said she was shocked by the arrest, describing her son as her “backbone” and “an example to Ethiopian youth”. After spending his teenage years in Canada, Adonay returned to Ethiopia and built a following with videos warning about the challenges of emigration and urging young people to build their lives at home.
While the federal government has not commented, federal police said the detainees are suspected of promoting behaviour that offends public morals, citing concern over the impact of online trends on young Ethiopians. They warned that further action would be taken against anyone “violating the country’s cultural values” or spreading what they called “shallow culture”.
The case has become a flashpoint in the wider struggle between Ethiopia’s fast-growing digital culture and long-standing social and cultural expectations.