Solidarity sit-in with Matsadaash at Journalists Syndicate suspended

Journalists taking part in the solidarity sit-in for the six detained colleagues from the Matsadaash platform have suspended the sit-in, which they started two weeks ago at the Journalists Syndicate headquarters, pledging to continue solidarity events demanding their release and opposing press restrictions.

The open sit-in began on Oct. 3 at the Journalists Syndicate headquarters, five days after security forces arrested six journalists from the independent Matsadaash platform on Sept. 28 and 29. Authorities forcibly disappeared the group before transferring them to the Supreme State Security Prosecution, which ordered their pretrial detention on charges of “spreading false news and joining a terrorist group.” The Ministry of Interior later denied reports that the detainees had been subjected to torture.

Journalist Hadeer El-Mahdawy, a participant in the sit-in, said Sunday’s suspension was intended to regroup and plan stronger, more diverse solidarity actions for their detained colleagues, emphasizing that journalists will not back down from the fight to defend press freedom.

El-Mahdawy told Al Manassa that organizers will hold a series of solidarity events in the coming period, expressing hope for broader participation from Journalists Syndicate members to match what she described as a “wide-scale attack” on press freedom and the arrest of their colleagues.

The press has endured a severe crackdown and tightening restrictions in recent years through security targeting of journalists, alongside workplace challenges like arbitrary dismissals and low wages, El-Mahdawy noted. These conditions, she added, have worn down journalists, underscoring the need for greater solidarity to protect the profession and reclaim its standing, beginning with freeing detained colleagues and improving pay.

Regarding the impact of suspending the sit-in on the case of the Matsadaash journalists, El-Mahdawy said media momentum has declined recently due to political developments in Egypt and the region, but she stressed the continuation of solidarity with their colleagues in various forms, citing the launch of a fact-checking campaign linked to the government achievements conference.

In solidarity with the detained Matsadaash journalists, eight Egyptian and Arab press institutions, including Al Manassa, launched, on Sunday, a joint newsroom under the slogan, “Until they return... verification continues.” The six-day initiative will fact-check the government’s “achievements conference” called for by President El-Sisi, scheduled to take place from Monday to Saturday under the banner Egypt Forum 2026.

The participating news organizations are Al Manassa, Saheeh Masr, and Mada Masr from Egypt; Megaphone, Daraj, and Sifr from Lebanon; Nawaat from Tunisia; and Al Jumhuriya from Syria.

Since Matsadaash announced the arrest of six of its journalists, solidarity statements have poured in, demanding the release of the six journalists: Mohamed Ashraf, Abdullah Qadri, Islam Barakat, Mohamed Adel, Mohamed Mahmoud, and Omar Hilal.

Egypt ranks 169th out of 180 countries on the 2026 World Press Freedom Index and remains among the world’s 10 worst jailers of journalists according to the Committee to Protect Journalists. 

In March 2024, the Journalists Syndicate criticized the continued blocking of several news websites, including Al Manassa, which has been blocked 13 times, most recently in July 2022, despite the lifting of blocks on other sites, including Darb, Al-Sulta Al-Rabaa, Zat Misr, and Misr 360.