Egypt: NUJ joins calls for immediate release of six journalists
The NUJ has joined the International Federation of Journalists (IFJ) and Egyptian Journalists’ Syndicate (EJS) in calling for Egyptian authorities to immediately release six journalists from the fact-checking outlet Matsada2sh.
Security forces arrested the six journalists, who make up the entire Matsada2sh newsroom, at their homes between 28 and 30 September before taking them to an undisclosed location.
According to reports, the Ministry of Interior accused the media outlet of being managed from abroad as “part of the terrorist Muslim Brotherhood’s media apparatus”, with the help of Brotherhood “elements” inside the country. The arrested journalists have been accused of “spreading misinformation” on behalf of the banned Muslim Brotherhood, which Matsada2sh has denied. The outlet’s platform includes dozens of articles exposing Muslim Brotherhood disinformation and propaganda.
The EJS has filed formal requests with the Ministry of Interior and the Public Prosecutor for the release of the six journalists - Abdallah Qadri, Islam Barakat, Mohamed Adel, Mohamed Sharaf, Mohamed Mahmoud and Omar Helal. It has also demanded information on the reasons for their arrests and where they are being held.
The EJS said that the arrests were carried out in violation of safeguards established under its bylaws, as well as provisions of Egyptian law and the Constitution. The union also stressed the journalists’ right to be informed of the reasons for their detention, and their right to contact a lawyer immediately and to be brought before the investigating authority within 24 hours.
The NUJ joins the IFJ and EJS in expressing concern over the welfare of the detained journalists and calling for their immediate, unconditional release, while also urging Egyptian authorities to end their wider crackdown on the press.
Anthony Bellanger, IFJ general secretary, said:
“Our brave colleagues were arrested for one reason only: doing their job of informing citizens about the truth. They were helping to protect the public information space from misinformation, disinformation and propaganda. They are a perfect example of journalism as a public good. On behalf of the global community of journalists and their unions, I call on the Egyptian authorities to release them immediately."