Executive Summary:

In the previous three reports, media observation of arrests based on sex work from January 2019 to December 2020 (which saw 138 arrests in 2019 versus 190 arrests in 2020) and media observation of arrests based on sex work from January 2021 to December 2022 (which in turn saw 132 arrests in 2021 as opposed to 124 arrests in 2022). In the last report, the media observatory documented 154 arrests in the period between January 2023 and December 2023. For 2024, we documented 30 pieces of news, which include 116 arrestees during the period of documentation (January 2024 to December 2024). All the arrests are related to cases involving prostitution, facilitation, or promotion of prostitution. So, the total number is not only related to sex workers but also arrestees related to facilitation and promotion.

These arrests took place across various Egyptian governorates between January and October, with notable patterns in timing, geography, and enforcement methods. Because the documentation relied on secondary data, the segregation of accusations, whether it is sex work or facilitation of sex work, is not clear. 63% of arrest cases were from Greater Cairo, with peaks in the arrestees in May, January and February. 75.9% of arrestees are documented to be working independently, meaning that they engage in sex work independently. Women made up the vast majority, with 83 individuals arrested, including 2 transgender women. Men comprised 31 of the arrested individuals, while the gender identity of 2 individuals was not disclosed. Of the 31 cisgender men arrested, 22 were arrested alongside women as facilitators or organisers for sex work. From 116 arrestees, 11 individuals are identified as queer. It is understandable that heterosexual individuals form the majority of the arrestees (90.5%), and among the men arrested, nine were identified as gay by authorities or media coverage.

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