Press Freedom Concerns Deepen in Egypt Over Journalist Detentions and Website Closure

Lina Attalah, chief editor of the independent online news outlet Mada Masr, faces continuing judicial harassment connected to her journalism.

Egyptian authorities are being urged to end the targeting, persecution and harassment of independent journalists amid concerns over widening assaults on press freedom. The detention of an entire fact-checking newsroom and continuing court proceedings against a prominent editor have brought renewed attention to the pressures facing independent reporting. Journalists must be able to investigate matters of public interest and share their findings without intimidation or the threat of reprisals.

Six journalists who make up the entire newsroom of the fact-checking website Matsadash remain in detention, leaving every member of its reporting team behind bars. They are Mohamed Ashraf Abu Emeira, Abdallah Qadry, Islam Barakat, Omar Helal, Mohamed Mahmoud and Mohamed Adel, whose release is being sought over charges arising from their legitimate journalistic work. Their lawyers reported that the journalists were subjected to torture and other forms of ill-treatment and forced to record fabricated confessions.

Lina Attalah, chief editor of the independent online news outlet Mada Masr, faces continuing judicial harassment connected to her journalism. An Egyptian court convicted her last month of operating an unlicensed website, and she was detained before being released following payment of a fine. The court ordered the website's closure, threatening a platform through which readers access independent reporting on issues of public concern.

Further hearing raises concerns over fair treatment

Attalah is due to face another hearing this week in a separate case dating back to 2024, raising fresh concerns about due process and her right to a fair trial. Obstacles to appeal are among the concerns surrounding the proceedings, making the ability to challenge judicial decisions an important part of her situation. The call to Egyptian authorities is to end harassment of journalists and media outlets and respect and fulfil freedom of expression, including the right to information.

Detained reporters need legal access and healthcare

Egyptian authorities are being urged to release all six Matsadash journalists and drop charges arising from the legitimate reporting work they carried out. Pending their release, the reporters must have confidential access to lawyers, contact with their families and the healthcare and medication they need. Humane detention conditions must be guaranteed throughout their custody, with their treatment respecting their rights and basic needs.

Abuse allegations require investigation and accountability

Every allegation of torture, ill-treatment or forced confession must be investigated promptly, and those responsible must be held to account. Measures suppressing the continued work of Matsadash and Mada Masr must be overturned so that both outlets can carry out their journalistic work. People in Egypt have a right to read and hear the views these platforms present on matters of legitimate public concern, making their continued operation an issue that extends beyond the journalists themselves.