A non-governmental organization representing six staff members from the Egyptian fact-checking outlet "Matsadaash" has raised serious alarms after the journalists reported experiencing torture while in custody. The entire newsroom of the independent platform, which is widely recognized for its investigative work, was detained last week. Legal representatives from the Egyptian Initiative for Personal Rights (EIPR) have stated that the detainees testified before the Supreme State Security Prosecution, detailing harrowing experiences such as being blindfolded, beaten, stripped, and subjected to electric shocks.

Furthermore, the journalists claim they were coerced into recording false confessions intended to secure convictions against them. While Egyptian authorities maintain that the group is linked to the banned Muslim Brotherhood and accused of spreading misinformation, Matsadaash has strongly refuted these claims. With 26 journalists now imprisoned in Egypt for their professional work, the arrests have triggered protests from colleagues in Cairo, highlighting the deepening climate of fear and restricted press freedom within the country.