Egypt has been chastised after singers were imprisoned for making a belly dance video.

Human rights organizations have slammed an Egyptian court for imprisoning two well-known musicians over a video they shot with a Brazilian belly dancer.

They can be seen lip-syncing and smiling in the video while the dancer, who is dressed in a long dress and jacket, executes her moves.

The video became a YouTube sensation in 2020, with millions of views.

The guys were convicted guilty of "violating family values" by an Alexandria court, which is seen as part of a broader assault on artistic freedom.

They were also found guilty of profiteering from the video showcasing Lordiana, an Egyptian dancer famed for her seductive skills.

The singers - Hamo Beeka and Omar Kamal - were sentenced to a year in prison and fined 10,000 Egyptian pounds ($540; £435). If they pay the same amount on top of a fee, they can have their jail terms suspended.

Egypt is increasingly relying on "abusive and ill-defined family values" to impose control over social media, according to Human Rights Watch.

It is urging the elimination of cybercrime legislation clauses that it claims criminalize free expression.

At least a dozen young women who work as social media influencers have been charged with breaking the law, and have received substantial fines and penalties of up to five years in prison from the courts.

The recent ruling is part of a broader crackdown on mahraganat, or festival music, a relatively new type of low-budget electronic music that is enormously popular in Egypt.

This is often bright and vibrant, depicting stories from the daily lives of Egyptians who are less well-off.

Since Egyptian director Mohamed Diab included some mahraganat songs in Moon Knight, a new Marvel series, they've gained international attention.

The state-run Musicians' Syndicate, on the other hand, has barred several mahraganat singers, including Mr. Kamal, from singing in public.

Since President Abdul Fattah al-Sisi gained office, the syndicate has played a bigger role in chastising what it sees as moral infractions.

It was pointed up in Mr. Kamal's case that he used phrases like "alcohol" and "hashish."

Human rights advocates say that constraints on freedom of speech based on public morals should be proportional, nondiscriminatory, and well-defined.