Egyptian Press Union Leader Vows to Defend Detained Journalists Amid Accusations
Khaled Elbalshy said the Journalists Syndicate will keep fighting for press freedom after six Matsadaash reporters were arrested and charged with terrorist ties.
In late September, six reporters from Matsadaash—Mohamed Adel, Mohamed Ashraf Abu Emeira, Islam Barakat, Omar Helal, Mohamed Mahmoud and Abdallah Qadry—were arrested and placed in pre-trial detention under Egypt’s 2015 Counterterrorism Law. Prosecutors allege they worked for a media outlet tied to the Muslim Brotherhood, a group the state labels terrorist. The Egyptian Initiative for Personal Rights says the journalists were held without family contact and suffered beatings and electric shocks.
The Journalists Syndicate, led by Khaled Elbalshy, lodged a complaint with the public prosecutor and reiterated the principle of presumed innocence, warning that attacks on one journalist threaten the entire profession. Interior Ministry officials rejected the torture allegations. Matsadaash, a fact-checking platform turned investigative outlet, has previously faced state pressure, including the 2023 arrest of a reporter after a smuggling investigation.
Why it matters
The case highlights the fragile state of press freedom and human-rights protections in Egypt.
In this story
