Egyptian police arrest six journalists from independent outlet Matsadaash on Muslim Brotherhood charges

On September 30, 2026, Egyptian police arrested six journalists from Matsadaash, an independent fact-checking and investigative outlet, accusing them of spreading misinformation for the banned Muslim Brotherhood. The arrests, which began on Monday evening, swept up the entire editorial team. The Interior Ministry claimed the outlet was managed from abroad by a Brotherhood member, but Matsadaash denied any affiliation. The Egyptian Initiative for Personal Rights is providing legal representation, and the journalists' whereabouts remain unknown. Egypt has a history of detaining journalists, with 19 currently held, according to the Committee to Protect Journalists.