_1791188137.jpeg)
Egyptian security forces apprehended six reporters employed by the independent investigative outlet [Matsda2sh](https://matsda2sh.org) last month, and their current location remains unknown, according to [Human Rights Watch](https://www.hrw.org).
The arrests occurred during coordinated raids across the country. The detained individuals are Abdallah Qadry, Mohamed Ashraf Abu Emeira, Islam Barakat, Omar Helal, Mohamed Mahmoud and Mohamed Adel, who together form the platform’s entire editorial team.
"The simultaneous detention of an entire newsroom at a prominent independent outlet is deeply alarming," said Bassam Khawaja, deputy director for the Middle East and North Africa at Human Rights Watch. "Dismantling a whole newsroom in hours without warning sends a chilling signal to all journalists in Egypt and highlights the shrinking space for critical reporting."
Founded in 2018, Matsda2sh produces investigative pieces and fact‑checks on matters of public interest within Egypt and the broader region.
The [Egyptian Initiative for Personal Rights](https://eipr.org) (EIPR), representing the six journalists, issued a statement noting that security agents who entered some of the reporters’ homes did not present arrest or search warrants, nor did they explain the reasons for the arrests or the location of detention. The agents also confiscated electronic devices belonging to the journalists and their families.
On 1 October, Egypt’s [Interior Ministry](https://www.moi.gov.eg) confirmed the arrests, alleging the journalists were preparing what it termed “fabricated news” for Matsda2sh and accusing the platform of links to the Muslim Brotherhood, an international Islamic social and political movement.
The ministry’s statement did not specify the criminal charges the journalists face nor disclose where they are being held. Matsda2sh has rejected the accusations.
Over 80 organisations, including Human Rights Watch, have condemned the detentions and called for the immediate release of the six journalists.