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Egyptian prosecutors formally charged six journalists from the independent fact-checking platform Matsadaash with terrorism-related offences on Wednesday.
Authorities accused the entire newsroom of collaborating with the banned Muslim Brotherhood, receiving foreign funding, and fabricating news to undermine state institutions and incite civil unrest.
Security forces detained the journalists during coordinated raids across multiple governorates on September 28 and 29.
Operating since 2018, Matsadaash—which translates to “Don’t Believe It”—focuses on investigating public statements and official government claims.
Defence lawyers from the Egyptian Initiative for Personal Rights reported that the journalists suffered torture in custody, though the Interior Ministry denied these claims.
Prosecution officials alleged that overseas Muslim Brotherhood leaders financed and directed the outlet to fuel public discontent.
According to prosecutors, interrogation statements and social media posts linked the team to anti-state activities.
The outlet’s management and U.S.-based co-founder, Abdelrahman Mansour, rejected all charges, emphasising the platform’s independent editorial stance.
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The arrests have drawn fierce condemnation from international media watchdogs and rights groups demanding their immediate release.
Membership in the Muslim Brotherhood, outlawed in 2013 following the removal of former President Mohamed Morsi, carries potential sentences of up to life imprisonment.
The latest arrests bring the total number of journalists currently detained in Egypt to 26.
