UN Condemns Egypt's Crackdown on Independent Journalists
The United Nations demanded the release of jailed journalists and the restoration of independent media as Egypt shuts down news outlets and arrests reporters.
The Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) has condemned widening assaults on press freedom in Egypt, calling for the immediate release of six journalists from the fact-checking outlet Matsaddash. The entire Matsaddash newsroom was arrested in September on charges of joining the Muslim Brotherhood and financing terrorism. Lawyers for the detainees allege the reporters were tortured and forced to record fabricated confessions.
Simultaneously, Egyptian authorities have targeted the independent news website Mada Masr. A court ordered the site's closure and issued a 3 million Egyptian pound fine against its editor-in-chief and co-founder, Lina Attalah, for operating without a license. Attalah, who also faces charges of spreading false news, had her retrial in a Cairo criminal court adjourned until November 18 following a recusal request from her defense team.
While the UN demanded that Egypt end the intimidation of reporters and overturn the suppression of these outlets, U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio declined to discuss the crackdown with Egypt's Foreign Minister. Rubio cited the need for a balancing act to maintain Egypt as a reliable defense partner for the United States.
