🌍 Egypt Arrests Entire Investigative Newsroom in Mass Crackdown
Egyptian security forces arrested all six journalists of independent platform Matsda2sh on September 28–29, with their whereabouts still unknown and families denied contact — what Human Rights Watch describes as enforced disappearance.
The six — Abdallah Qadry, Mohamed Ashraf Abu Emeira, Islam Barakat, Omar Helal, Mohamed Mahmoud, and Mohamed Adel — constitute the outlet's entire editorial team. Security personnel conducted raids without presenting warrants and seized electronic devices. On October 1, Egypt's Interior Ministry acknowledged the arrests, alleging the journalists produced "fabricated news" and had links to the Muslim Brotherhood. The platform denied the allegations. No specific charges or detention location were disclosed.
Egypt ranks among the world's leading jailers of journalists, with 25 currently imprisoned according to the Committee to Protect Journalists. Over 80 organisations have condemned the arrests and demanded the journalists' release.
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