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Why have hundreds of sex tapes been leaked in Equatorial Guinea?

The scandal could be a play for power in the central African country.

Hundreds of sex tapes featuring Baltazar Ebang Engonga, the nephew of Equatorial Guinea鈥檚 president, have flooded social media. Many of the women seen in the tapes are the wives and relatives of people close to the centre of power.

The scandal has shone an unflattering spotlight on the central African country, which is sometimes called 鈥淭he North Korea of Africa鈥. Its President Teodoro Obiang Nguema Mbasogo has been in power for more than four decades and controls the majority of the country鈥檚 radio and television outlets, which are heavily censored. Following the sex tape leak, 鈥淓quatorial Guinea鈥 was the top trending term in Kenya, Nigeria and South Africa - even surpassing interest in the US election at times.

成人论坛 Monitoring journalist Ines Silva gives explains how the scandal unfolded. And activist and human rights advocate Nsang Christia Esimi Cruz discusses how the government could use the controversy to crack down on social media use in the country.

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Presenter: Hannah Gelbart
Producers: William Lee Adams and Benita Barden
Editor: Verity Wilde

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13 minutes

Last on

Wed 13 Nov 2024 03:50GMT

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