Egypt: Six journalists from the fact-checking platform Matsadaash placed in detention

The six journalists who make up the entire editorial staff of Matsadaash, an independent Egyptian fact-checking platform, were arrested in Egypt between September 28 and 30, 2026, according to Africanews and the South African daily The Citizen. The Ministry of the Interior confirmed the arrests on October 1, 2026, accusing the media outlet of operating an "unauthorized" online page and spreading false information.

The arrests began on Monday, September 28, 2026. Two journalists, Mohamed Mahmoud and Omar Hilal, were arrested on September 30, reports The Citizen. The platform states that it has received no official information regarding the detention locations of its members. According to Africanews, no formal charges had been filed at the time of the ministry's announcement.

Unsubstantiated accusations

The authorities also allege links between the editorial staff and "media committees" of the Muslim Brotherhood, an organization banned in Egypt. Africanews emphasizes that no evidence has been presented to support this claim. The Egyptian government, for its part, rejects accusations of human rights abuses and maintains that those detained are facing standard criminal proceedings. At this stage, the presumption of innocence applies fully to the six journalists.

Created in 2018, Matsadaash became known for scrutinizing official statements and viral content. It is precisely this work of contradiction that is now being targeted: arresting an entire editorial team amounts to silencing an entire media outlet at once, rather than prosecuting an isolated journalist.

Twenty-six journalists behind bars

The Egyptian Initiative for Personal Rights (EIPR) counts twenty-six journalists currently detained in the country in connection with their work. Lobna Darwish, from this organization, describes an environment that has become "dangerous" for the profession, according to Africanews. Mahmoud Kamel, from the journalists' syndicate, is also cited among the voices concerned by this sequence of events.

An African battle, not just an Egyptian one

Press freedom is not an imported luxury: it is the tool that allows African citizens to hold their leaders accountable. From Nairobi to Dakar, independent newsrooms are being built with few resources and many risks. What is happening in Cairo therefore concerns the entire continent: a media outlet that verifies state figures serves the nation, it does not threaten it. Story Africa will follow the fate of the six journalists and calls for clarity regarding their judicial situation.

The outcome will depend on the decisions of the Egyptian public prosecutor's office: either the opening of a public and adversarial proceeding, or prolonged pre-trial detention, a practice regularly denounced by human rights organizations in the country.