Egyptian authorities arrest all six journalists from fact-checking platform Matsadaash
Security forces in Egypt have arrested all six journalists of the independent platform Matsadaash following raids in Cairo, Gharbia, and Port Said, leaving the organization with no remaining staff.
Detention of the editorial team
Egyptian authorities have detained the entire six-member editorial staff of the independent fact-checking platform Matsadaash. The platform announced on Wednesday that editors Mohamed Mahmoud and Omar Hilal were arrested, completing the detention of all six journalists over a 48-hour span. Four members of the team were taken into custody during coordinated raids on their private residences in Cairo, Gharbia, and Port Said. The remaining two journalists were intercepted and seized directly on a street in Cairo.
The media outlet confirmed the detentions in a statement on its Facebook page.
The entire editorial team of the Matsadaash newsroom is now in custody.
Conduct of raids and legal violations
The wave of detentions began on Monday evening when security forces raided the private residences of two journalists. Officers in plain clothes took part in several of the home searches, confiscating mobile phones, laptops, and working equipment. According to reports from news outlet Mada Masr, the journalists faced physical mistreatment during the operations, leading the platform to blur the photograph of one editor following a request from his family.
Security personnel refused to present official search or arrest warrants to the journalists or their families. The Egyptian Initiative for Personal Rights (EIPR), which provides legal defense for the journalists, demanded an immediate inquiry into the raids.
No official information has yet been provided about their places of detention or the legal procedures being carried out against them.
- Matsadaash is established as an independent fact-checking platform.
- Security forces detain an editor for 48 hours following a residential raid.
- Egyptian authorities launch home raids against platform journalists.
- Arrests of Mohamed Mahmoud and Omar Hilal leave all six staff members in detention.
Investigative work and past scrutiny
Founded in 2018, Matsadaash (an Arabic phrase translating to "do not believe it") specializes in verifying official statements and investigating financial corruption across Egypt and the wider Arab world. The platform has built an audience of 1.3 million followers while operating as one of Egypt's remaining independent investigative outlets. Its recent reporting included a fact-check examining claims made by Egyptian Foreign Minister Badr Abdelatty regarding the total number of refugees residing in Egypt, alongside an investigation into alleged nepotism within public prosecution appointments.
The outlet previously attracted official scrutiny for its coverage of a private aircraft seized in Zambia after departing Cairo with 5.7 million dollars in cash. Individual members of the organization have faced detention before, including a 2023 raid where an editor was held for 48 hours at an Egyptian security facility.
Press freedom conditions in Egypt
The arrest of the Matsadaash team brings the total number of journalists imprisoned in Egypt in connection with their professional work to 26, according to records compiled by EIPR. Many of these media workers remain held in pre-trial detention beyond the legal limits established by Egyptian law. The Egyptian Journalists Syndicate publicly condemned the detentions and demanded the immediate release of all six staff members.
The actions against Matsadaash coincide with broader domestic detentions involving online content creators, Discord users, and satirical performers. President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi continues to manage foreign partnerships alongside internal security measures, hosting CIA Director John Ratcliffe days prior to discuss shipping security in the Bab al-Mandab strait and the Suez Canal.
