Ethiopia Detains Six Influencers for Allegedly ‘Indecent’ Dressing at Awards Gala

Ethiopian authorities have apprehended another TikTok personality, days after five other content creators were detained.

The arrests follow allegations that the six influencers wore “indecent attire” at the 2025 Ethiopia Creative Award ceremony, an event now at the heart of the national controversy.

Adonay Berhane, a 25-year-old creator specializing in lifestyle and motivational content, becomes the latest influencer to be detained.

Berhane boasts nearly four million followers and was recently honored as “TikToker of the Year” at the Ethiopia Creative Award 2025, the very ceremony now central to the police investigation.

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Adonay was pictured wearing an open-necked shirt.

Police confirmed late Wednesday, December 10, 2025, evening that Berhane is currently being investigated in connection with the controversy.

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

Some, while in conversation on Facebook platform, commented that African culture must be preserved, adding that Gen Z needs reformation centers.

“African culture must be preserved. This Genz needs reformation centres,” Nji Munang OfMbamlu said on a post.

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Among the other arrested influencers are:

Wongelawit Gebre Endrias (Evan): A popular lifestyle creator.
Yohannes Mekonnen (Jahnny): A dancer and content reviewer.
Bereket Tsegaye
Mekdim Dereje
Girum Gezahegn

According to the report by the BBC News on Thursday, December 11, 2025, Ethiopia’s government had 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.

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Kenya President William Ruto during a meeting with Grenada Prime Minister Dickon Mitchell on the sidelines of the second Africa-CARICOM Summit, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. PHOTO/PCS.