The United Nations Office at Geneva
Multimedia Newsroom
Edited News | OHCHR , UNOG
UN Human Rights spokesperson Thameen Al Kheetan on assaults on press freedom in Egypt
“We are witnessing widening assaults on press freedom by Egyptian authorities, including the targeting, persecution and harassment of independent journalists. These alarming developments must end immediately, and journalists must be able to carry out their essential work free from intimidation and reprisals," UN Human Rights Office spokesperson Thameen Al-Kheetan said at the UN biweekly press briefing in Geneva.
“Six journalists forming the entire newsroom of the fact-checking website Matsadash currently remain detained: Mohamed Ashraf Abu Emeira, Abdallah Qadry, Islam Barakat, Omar Helal, Mohamed Mahmoud and Mohamed Adel," he told reporters. "Their lawyers reported that they were subjected to torture and other forms of ill-treatment and forced to record fabricated confessions.”
He also mentioned the case of Lina Attalah, chief editor of independent online news outlet Mada Masr, who "also faces continuing judicial harassment related to her journalistic work".
"Convicted by an Egyptian court last month for operating an unlicensed website, Attalah was detained and released following payment of a fine. The court also ordered the closure of the website. She now faces another hearing this week in a different case dating back to 2024, which raises fresh concerns regarding due process and fair trial, including obstacles to appeal,” he added.
“We call on Egypt to end all forms of harassment of journalists and media outlets, and to respect and fulfill the right to freedom of expression, including the right to information. Authorities must release all Matsadash reporters and drop charges arising from their legitimate journalistic work,” Al-Kheetan said.
Pending their release, he said they must be afforded confidential access to lawyers, family contact, necessary healthcare and access to medication, and be guaranteed humane conditions of detention. “All allegations of torture, ill-treatment or forced confessions must be promptly investigated, and those responsible held to account.”
“The steps taken to suppress the continued work of both Matsadash and Mada Masr must be overturned. The people of Egypt have a right to read and hear views expressed through these fora on issues of legitimate public concern,” said Al-Kheetan.
ENDS
For more information and media requests, please contact:
In Geneva
Thameen Al-Kheetan - thameen.alkheetan@un.org
Ravina Shamdasani - ravina.shamdasani@un.org
Shabia Mantoo - shabia.mantoo@un.org
Facebook unitednationshumanrights
Instagram @unitednationshumanrights
STORY: UN Human Rights spokesperson Thameen Al-Kheetan on assaults on press freedom in Egypt
TRT: 02:57
SOURCE: OHCHR/UNOG
RESTRICTIONS: none
LANGUAGE: English/NATS
ASPECT RATIO: 16:9
DATELINE: 10 November 2026 – GENEVA, SWITZERLAND
SHOTLIST
- Exterior shot: Palais des Nations
- Interior shot: Briefing room
- SOUNDBITE (English)—Thameen Al-Kheetan, Spokesperson for the Office of the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR): “We are witnessing widening assaults on press freedom by Egyptian authorities, including the targeting, persecution and harassment of independent journalists. These alarming developments must end immediately, and journalists must be able to carry out their essential work free from intimidation and reprisals.”
- Interior shot: Briefing room
- SOUNDBITE (English)—Thameen Al-Kheetan, Spokesperson for the Office of the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR): “Six journalists forming the entire newsroom of the fact-checking website Matsadash currently remain detained: Mohamed Ashraf Abu Emeira, Abdallah Qadry, Islam Barakat, Omar Helal, Mohamed Mahmoud and Mohamed Adel. Their lawyers reported that they were subjected to torture and other forms of ill-treatment and forced to record fabricated confessions.”
- Interior shot: Briefing room
- SOUNDBITE (English)—Thameen Al-Kheetan, Spokesperson for the Office of the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR): “The chief editor of independent news outlet Mada Masr, Lina Attalah, also faces continuing judicial harassment related to her journalistic work. Convicted by an Egyptian court last month for operating an unlicensed website, Attalah was detained and released following payment of a fine. The court also ordered the closure of the website. She now faces another hearing this week in a different case dating back to 2024, which raises fresh concerns regarding due process and fair trial, including obstacles to appeal.”
- Interior shot: Briefing room
- SOUNDBITE (English)—Thameen Al-Kheetan, Spokesperson for the Office of the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR): “We call on Egypt to end all forms of harassment of journalists and media outlets, and to respect and fulfill the right to freedom of expression, including the right to information. Authorities must release all Matsadash reporters and drop charges arising from their legitimate journalistic work.”
- Interior shot: Briefing room
- SOUNDBITE (English)—Thameen Al-Kheetan, Spokesperson for the Office of the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR): “All allegations of torture, ill-treatment or forced confessions must be promptly investigated, and those responsible held to account,”
- Interior shot: Briefing room
- SOUNDBITE (English)—Thameen Al-Kheetan, Spokesperson for the Office of the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR): “The steps taken to suppress the continued work of both Matsadash and Mada Masr must be overturned. The people of Egypt have a right to read and hear views expressed through these fora on issues of legitimate public concern.”
Similar Stories
1
1
2
Edited News | UNICEF
Drones and drought are "closing in" on Sudan, the UN Children's Fund, UNICEF, said on Tuesday, describing unprecedented attacks on the country's infrastructure including by drones travelling up to 1,500 kilometres before hitting their target.
"It is an assault unlike anything Sudan has seen before. In the last week of October, not a single day passed without a drone strike on a power station in Sudan. Up to 15 were hit in the month of October,” said agency spokesperson James Elder.
1
1
1
Edited News | IOM , UNHCR
Aid teams working to help millions of people uprooted by the ongoing war in Sudan appealed on Friday for more international assistance amid desperate funding shortages, empty warehouses and overwhelming needs.
1
1
1
Edited News | UNICEF
Ukraine has sustained almost 2,000 attacks on education since the full-scale Russian invasion in 2022, with some 270 this year alone, the UN Children’s Fund (UNICEF) said on Tuesday.
1
1
1
Edited News | UNHCR
More than 280,000 people have now been displaced by fighting in Yemen and many vulnerable people are unable to access lifesaving relief because it is too dangerous to do so, the UN refugee agency (UNHCR) said on Friday.
1
1
1
Edited News | UN
Tour guides at UN Geneva turned heads at the Palace of Nations on Thursday as they unveiled stylish new uniforms, designed in partnership with leading Italian sustainable fashion designers and manufacturers.
1
1
1
Edited News | OCHA , UNICEF , WFP
Aid agencies warned on Friday of the fast-developing humanitarian emergency inside Taiz City in Yemen, which has been encircled by de facto Houthi forces fighting government troops along the country’s west coast.
2
17
1
2
Edited News , Press Conferences , Images | OCHA , WMO
Two UN agencies teamed up on Wednesday to issue an appeal for immediate assistance to help communities already being impacted by the strongest El Niño on record.
3
16
2
2
Edited News , B-roll , Conferences , Images | UNITED NATIONS , UNOG
Sixth Consultative Meeting on Enhancing Coordination of Peace Initiatives and Efforts for Sudan
1
1
1
Edited News | UNICEF , WHO , UNHCR
Yemen war continues to force families from homes amid hunger and disease
More than 250,000 people have now fled renewed fighting in Yemen, the UN said on Tuesday, citing particular concern for those sheltering in the southwestern city of Taiz and the wider governorate, where access is “essentially blocked”.
1
1
1
Edited News | UNICEF
A little over one year since a ceasefire agreement was announced between Hamas fighters and Israel, more than 340 children have been reported killed and hundreds more injured, the UN Children’s Fund, UNICEF, said on Friday.
1
1
1
Edited News | UNICEF , IFRC
Six weeks after Nepal’s deadly flooding disaster, communities are still struggling to rebuild their lives, but they will need sustained help as global warming increases the risk of another Himalayan catastrophe, the UN Children’s Fund (UNICEF) said on Friday.
1
1
1
Edited News | WHO
In suspected Russia plague death, testing and monitoring underway – WHO
The death of a lab worker in Russia’s Siberia region has sparked concerns about plague being the cause, the UN World Health Organization (WHO) said on Tuesday, adding that it was following the situation closely.