Egyptian Journalists Syndicate Rejects Pressure After Arrest of Six Reporters

The head of Egypt's Journalists Syndicate, Khaled Elbalshy, has declared that the organization will not bow to pressure and will continue its fight for press freedom. His remarks came after the syndicate was criticized for defending six journalists arrested in September on accusations of joining an organization designated as "terrorist."

"What happens to one colleague affects us all, and could happen to others tomorrow," Elbalshy said in a Sunday statement. "Violating the freedom of one journalist violates the freedom of everyone and undermines the protections for that freedom."

The statement followed the syndicate's filing of a complaint with Egypt's public prosecution over allegations that six journalists from the investigative outlet Matsadaash were tortured while in custody. Egyptian authorities deny the allegation, while pro-government commentators have criticized the syndicate for defending the journalists.

The six journalists — Mohamed Adel, Mohamed Ashraf Abu Emeira, Islam Barakat, Omar Helal, Mohamed Mahmoud and Abdallah Qadry — were arrested on September 28 and 29. They were later brought before the Supreme State Security Prosecution, which handles national security cases, and ordered held for 15 days pending investigation.

Egyptian prosecutors accuse the six of working for a media organization linked to the Muslim Brotherhood, a group Egyptian authorities have cracked down on for years since the 2013 coup that ousted President Mohamed Morsi, a member of the organization. Egypt officially lists the Muslim Brotherhood as a "terrorist" group, a designation the organization strongly denies, while human rights groups accuse Egyptian authorities of suppressing freedoms.

Abdelrahman Mansour, co-founder of Matsadaash, has also denied any links between the media platform and the Muslim Brotherhood.

In his statement, Elbalshy stressed: "The fundamental principle governing all such matters, especially when dealing with the accused in general and vulnerable people in particular, remains that a defendant is considered innocent until proven guilty."

Torture allegations

The Egyptian Initiative for Personal Rights (EIPR), whose lawyers represent the six journalists, said they were initially held for five days without contact with their families or lawyers. After complaints were filed, the journalists were brought before prosecutors and interrogated in the presence of lawyers and Journalists Syndicate representatives.

EIPR said the journalists were held under Egypt's 2015 Anti-Terrorism Law, which allows suspects to be detained before appearing before prosecutors "when there is a risk of a terrorist crime occurring and it is necessary to address that risk." However, the rights group noted that prosecutors have only accused the journalists of publishing rumors or "untrue" reports.

"The public prosecution should have identified an imminent terrorist threat serious enough to justify depriving them of appearing before the judiciary within 24 hours of their arrest," EIPR said on October 7.

EIPR also said most of the six journalists reported being tortured after their arrest, including beatings and electric shocks. The group added that some of the detainees were forced to make false statements.

Egypt's Interior Ministry denies the allegations.

Matsadaash was founded in 2018 as a fact-checking platform and later expanded into investigative journalism. Its website is blocked in Egypt, but it has more than 1.3 million followers on Facebook.

The outlet has previously come under pressure from Egyptian authorities, including in 2023, when one of its journalists, Karim Asaad, was arrested after Matsadaash published an investigation into a suspected smuggling scandal involving a plane flying from Cairo to Zambia. Asaad was later released.