GENEVA (5 November 2026) – UN experts* today expressed concern over the arrest, enforced disappearance and detention by Egyptian authorities of six journalists who constitute the entire newsroom of the Matsadaash media platform, signalling yet another setback for civic space that is already shrinking in the country.
“We are deeply concerned by reports of enforced disappearances being used to repress and intimidate journalists engaged in legitimate professional duties in Egypt and call for their immediate release,” the experts said.
On 28 and 29 September 2026, the entire newsroom crew of the independent, investigative media platform, Matsadaash – Mohamed Ashraf, Abdallah Qadry, Islam Barakat, Omar Helal, Mohamed Adel and Mohamed Mahmoud – were allegedly arrested and forcibly disappeared for five days by Egyptian security forces. On 1 October, the Egyptian Ministry of Interior confirmed the arrest of the journalists on Facebook, but failed to disclose their fate and whereabouts. The journalists have allegedly been denied access to lawyers.
“Enforced disappearances produce serious harm and consequences for the disappeared and their families. They also make it impossible to seek protection and exercise any rights, since the disappeared person is placed outside the protection of the law,” they said.
The experts noted that during their disappearance, the journalists were allegedly interrogated and subjected to torture and cruel treatment by authorities.
“The torture and ill-treatment of these journalists is an egregious example of a severe and relentless crackdown on independent voices,” they said.
The journalists have been charged with terrorism-related offences, which carry the death penalty, despite failing to meet the most serious crimes threshold under international law.
The experts raised concern about the transnational repression of journalist and founder of Matsadaash, Abdelrahman Mansour, who currently lives outside Egypt. Mansour has reportedly faced threats, a smear campaign and violations of his privacy after the Ministry of Interior publicly labelled him a ‘fugitive’ operator. They recalled that transnational repression poses serious risks to human rights, civic space, independent journalism and public participation across borders.
“The prosecution of the Matsadaash newsroom and the threats directed at Mansour are not isolated incidents, but reflective of a widespread and escalating practice of the unlawful detention of journalists in Egypt,” the experts said.
“The continued use of vague and overly broad counter-terrorism provisions to prosecute journalists is incompatible with international human rights law and has a chilling effect on the exercise of freedom of opinion and expression.”
They recalled Egypt’s obligations under international human rights law to protect freedom of opinion and expression, uphold the right to participate in public affairs and ensure space for diverse opinions and interpretations in the public sphere.
The experts have previously raised their concerns on the situation for journalists and media in Egypt.
“We reiterate our appeals to the Egyptian authorities to refrain from misusing counter-terrorism legislation to restrict the exercise of the rights to freedom of opinion and expression,” they said. “Due process must be guaranteed to all detained journalists, including the Matsadaash newsroom crew.”