Egypt Denies Torture Allegations Against Detained Matsadaash Journalists

Egypt's Interior Ministry has denied allegations that six journalists from the independent fact-checking platform Matsadaash were tortured or mistreated while in detention.

In a statement issued Tuesday, the ministry described the allegations as “baseless” and said they represented an attempt by those detained to evade the charges against them.

The dispute follows the arrests of six Matsadaash journalists between September 28 and 29. The journalists make up the platform's entire newsroom.

Lawyers Report Alleged Abuse

Lawyers representing the journalists said several of their clients reported abuse during their detention.

According to the Egyptian Initiative for Personal Rights (EIPR), which is involved in representing the journalists, most of the detainees told prosecutors that they had experienced various forms of mistreatment.

The lawyers reported allegations including beatings, forced stripping, threats against the journalists and their families, and other forms of abuse. These remain allegations and have been denied by Egyptian authorities.

The reports were made during questioning before Egypt's Supreme State Security Prosecution, according to the journalists' lawyers.

Six Journalists Arrested

The six journalists were arrested during security raids in different parts of Egypt. Human Rights Watch said the arrests took place on September 28 and 29 and that the detainees initially could not be reached by their families or lawyers.

Egyptian authorities later acknowledged the arrests and accused the journalists of producing what the Interior Ministry described as fabricated news. Authorities also alleged links between Matsadaash and the banned Muslim Brotherhood, claims that the platform has rejected.

The journalists are facing investigations over allegations including membership in a prohibited organisation and spreading false information. One of the journalists, Mohamed Ashraf Abu Emeira, was ordered detained for 15 days pending investigation after questioning by the Supreme State Security Prosecution.

Matsadaash Known for Fact-Checking

Matsadaash, whose name translates roughly to “Don't Believe,” is an Egyptian investigative and fact-checking platform established in 2018.

The outlet has frequently examined statements and claims made by government officials and state institutions, while also publishing investigations on issues of public interest.

The arrests of its entire editorial team have drawn condemnation from international and Egyptian rights organisations.

Human Rights Watch said more than 80 organisations had condemned the arrests and called for the journalists to be released and granted access to their lawyers and families.

The Committee to Protect Journalists has likewise called for the journalists' release and urged Egyptian authorities to disclose their whereabouts and ensure access to legal representation.

Dispute Over Treatment in Custody

The allegations of mistreatment have now become a separate point of contention between the authorities and the journalists' legal representatives.

While the Interior Ministry says the allegations have no basis and are intended to deflect attention from the criminal allegations, the journalists' lawyers maintain that the accounts were made directly during prosecutorial questioning.

Egypt's Journalists Syndicate has also moved to file a complaint concerning the alleged physical abuse, according to Egyptian media reports.

The competing accounts have yet to be resolved through an independent investigation.

Wider Press Freedom Concerns

The case has renewed international attention on Egypt's treatment of independent journalists and media organisations.

Human Rights Watch and other press-freedom organisations have previously documented restrictions on independent journalism and the detention of journalists in Egypt.

The latest case has therefore become part of a broader debate over press freedom, national-security laws and the treatment of journalists facing criminal investigations in the country.

For the six Matsadaash journalists, the immediate legal process is expected to determine how the allegations against them proceed and whether the claims of mistreatment will be independently investigated.