UN urges Egypt to stop harassing journalists
By the AFREEQUE newsroom, based on Expresso das Ilhas
The UN human rights office urges Egypt to end the harassment of the independent press. In recent weeks, the authorities have detained six journalists from the Matsadaash website, had Mada Masr shut down and sentenced its director Lina Attalah in absentia to one year in prison, according to the UN.
The UN human rights office called on the Egyptian authorities to "end all forms of harassment against journalists and independent media", which face multiple legal proceedings. "We are witnessing an intensification of attacks on press freedom", its spokesperson, Thameen Al-Kheetan, said in a statement.
According to the organisation, in recent weeks the authorities have arrested the entire team of the fact-checking website Matsadaash, ordered the closure of the website of the main independent media outlet, Mada Masr, and sentenced its director, Lina Attalah, in absentia to one year in prison. Six Matsadaash journalists remain in detention; according to their lawyers, they were subjected to torture and other ill-treatment, and forced to record false confessions. The UN is asking for these allegations to be promptly examined and for those responsible to be prosecuted.
Lina Attalah was convicted last month for running a website without authorisation, then detained before being released after paying a fine. She is due to appear in court again this week in another case dating back to 2024. The UN is concerned about due process and the right to a fair trial, in particular obstacles to access to legal remedies.
This call follows the arrest of Lina Attalah and then her release after payment of her fine.
