Egyptian prosecution orders bail for famous YouTube couple accused of abusing their daughter

Egypt’s public prosecutor ordered on Friday the release on bail of a famous YouTube couple who were arrested for allegedly abusing their daughter, Egyptian media reported.

The prosecution placed the bail at $2,538 (40,000 Egyptian pounds) for the release of Ahmed Hassan and his wife Zeinab, according to Egypt Today.

The couple were arrested at their residence in a Cairo compound after they posted a video on their YouTube channel of 5.9 million subscribers, titled “Zeinab and Ahmed Hassan prank Ayleen,” referring to their one-year-old daughter.

In the video, Zeinab is seen painting her face black before going to her daughter, who then appears to be uncomfortable and cries.

Images of the child’s frightened face circulated on social media with users criticizing her parents’ prank, who are heard laughing in the video that has over two million views.

Egypt’s National Council for Childhood and Motherhood (NCCM) submitted a report to the Public Prosecution to open an investigation into the case after a complaint was filed.

The General Director of the Child Helpline with NCCM, Sabri Osman, said during a phone-in with the Good Morning Egypt show, that videos such as those uploaded by the couple display the reckless behavior of the parents.

He believed that their goal was for fame and fortune, which they gain from the popularity of their YouTube channel, but at the expense of their daughter’s welfare.

Social media users have previously criticized the couple for “exploiting” their daughter since her birth to gain more subscribers.