Human Rights Watch (HRW) has denounced this Friday that the six journalists arrested at the beginning of this week by Egyptian security forces would be victims of "forced disappearance," given that the authorities have not yet informed of their whereabouts, a situation that, according to the organization, "sends a chilling message" to reporters and media in the country.
"The simultaneous detention by Egyptian authorities of the entire editorial staff of a prominent independent news platform is deeply alarming," stated the deputy director for the Middle East and North Africa of HRW, Bassam Jawaya, referring to the arrest of six editors from the independent investigative journalism platform Matsda2sh.
The detained journalists, identified as Mohamed Ashraf, Abdulá Qadri, Islam Barakat, Mohamed Adel, Mohamed Mahmud, and Omar Hilal, make up the entire editorial team of Matsda2sh and were arrested "one after another during a series of raids" for alleged links to the Muslim Brotherhood, according to the Ministry of the Interior. The platform has categorically rejected these accusations.
HRW has emphasized that the six communicators remain uncommunicated and that, more than 72 hours after their detention, their situation and whereabouts are still unknown, something that "raises serious concerns for their safety and their rights to a fair trial."
"Egyptian authorities should immediately reveal their whereabouts, allow access to their lawyers and family members, and ensure that no journalist is detained or prosecuted for exercising their right to freedom of expression or for performing their work," demanded the NGO, which recalls that more than 80 organizations have condemned these detentions and have demanded their release.
"Dismantling an entire editorial team in a matter of hours, without prior notice or reason, sends a chilling message to all journalists working in Egypt and highlights how little space remains there for critical journalism," warned Human Rights Watch, which sees in this case a new blow to the already limited margin for independent press in the country.