Egypt's Journalists Syndicate Vows to Defend Press Freedom Amidst Detentions and Torture Allegations

The head of Egypt’s Journalists Syndicate has affirmed the organization's unwavering commitment to press freedom, despite facing criticism for its defense of six journalists detained last month and accused of joining a "terrorist" group.

"What happens to one colleague affects us all, and may happen to others tomorrow," stated Khaled Elbalshy on Sunday. He emphasized that "An infringement of one journalist’s freedom is an infringement of everyone’s freedom and a weakening of the safeguards protecting that freedom."

These remarks followed the syndicate's filing of a complaint with Egypt’s public prosecutor concerning allegations that the detained journalists, who are employed by the investigative website Matsadaash, endured torture. Egyptian authorities have denied these accusations, while pro-government commentators have criticized the syndicate's stance.

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 have since appeared before the Supreme State Security Prosecution, which handles national security cases, and have been ordered to remain in pretrial detention for 15 days pending investigations.

Egyptian prosecutors allege that the journalists worked for a media organization linked to the Muslim Brotherhood, a group that Egyptian authorities have targeted extensively since the 2013 coup against President Mohamed Morsi. Egypt has officially designated the Muslim Brotherhood as a "terrorist" group, an allegation the organization denies. Human rights groups, however, accuse Egyptian authorities of suppressing freedoms.

Abdelrahman Mansour, a co-founder of Matsadaash, has also refuted any connections between the media platform and the Muslim Brotherhood. In his statement, Elbalshy reiterated the principle that "an accused person is innocent until proven guilty," particularly concerning vulnerable individuals.

Allegations of Torture

The Egyptian Initiative for Personal Rights (EIPR), whose lawyers are representing the detained journalists, reported that they were initially held for five days without access to their families or legal counsel. Following complaints, the journalists met with prosecutors, with their lawyers and a representative from the Journalists Syndicate present.

The EIPR noted that the journalists are being held under Egypt’s 2015 Counterterrorism Law, which permits pretrial detention if there is a perceived risk of a terrorist crime. However, the group pointed out that the prosecution's case relies on allegations of publishing rumors or "false" reports. The EIPR argued that the public prosecution should have specified any imminent terrorist threat that justified denying the journalists their right to appear before a judicial authority within 24 hours of their arrest.

Furthermore, the EIPR stated that most of the six journalists reported experiencing torture after their arrests, including beatings and electric shocks, and that some were coerced into making false confessions. Egypt’s Interior Ministry has denied these claims.

Matsadaash, established in 2018 as a fact-checking platform, has expanded into investigative journalism. While its website is blocked in Egypt, it maintains a significant presence on Facebook with over 1.3 million followers. The outlet has previously encountered pressure from Egyptian authorities, including the 2023 arrest of journalist Karim Asaad after Matsadaash published an investigation into a suspected smuggling scandal.