Cairo, Egypt — Egyptian security forces have arrested all six journalists working for independent fact-checking and investigative platform Matsadaash, prompting criticism from press freedom and rights groups.

The arrests began on September 28, when security forces raided journalists’ homes, and continued the following day across Cairo and several other governorates.

The Egyptian Initiative for Personal Rights (EIPR), which is providing legal representation to the journalists, said their whereabouts remained unknown and that they had not been allowed to contact their families or lawyers.

Egypt accuses Matsadaash of operating without license

Egypt’s Interior Ministry said Matsadaash was an unlicensed media platform managed from abroad.

The ministry accused its journalists of working with the Muslim Brotherhood to produce fabricated news in exchange for foreign funding. It did not announce specific charges against the detained journalists.

Matsadaash rejected the allegations, saying its work has included years of fact-checking statements and claims made by government officials, political figures and other sources, including claims linked to the Muslim Brotherhood.

Independent platform expanded into investigative journalism

Founded in 2018, Matsadaash began as a fact-checking platform before expanding into investigative journalism.

The outlet has since built an audience of more than one million followers on Facebook.

The detention of its entire newsroom has drawn condemnation from rights organizations and independent media groups, which have called on Egyptian authorities to release the journalists.