The six journalists who staff the whole newsroom of Matsadash, an Egyptian fact-checking site, are still in detention, the United Nations human rights office said Tuesday. The office, known as OHCHR, warned that the Egyptian government is carrying out a growing number of assaults on press freedom.

OHCHR spokesperson Thameen Al-Kheetan spoke to journalists in Geneva. He said the office is “witnessing widening assaults on press freedom by Egyptian authorities.” He said these include the targeting, persecution and harassment of independent reporters, and that the developments must end immediately.

The detained reporters are Mohamed Ashraf Abu Emeira, Abdallah Qadry, Islam Barakat, Omar Helal, Mohamed Mahmoud and Mohamed Adel. According to their lawyers, the six were tortured and otherwise ill-treated and were forced to record fabricated confessions.

Al-Kheetan also said Lina Attalah, who is chief editor of Mada Masr, an independent online news outlet, faces continuing judicial harassment linked to her journalism. An Egyptian court convicted her last month of operating an unlicensed website. She was detained, then released after she paid a fine, and the court ordered the website closed.

This week, Attalah faces another hearing in a separate case dating back to 2024. The UN office said this raises fresh concerns over legal due process and the right to a fair trial, including obstacles to appeal.

OHCHR called on Egypt to end all forms of harassment of journalists and media outlets and to respect the right to freedom of expression, including the right to information. It said the authorities must release all the Matsadash reporters and drop charges arising from their legitimate journalistic work. Until then, the office said, the six must have confidential access to lawyers, contact with their families, necessary healthcare and medication, and humane conditions of detention.

Al-Kheetan said all allegations of torture, ill-treatment or forced confessions must be promptly investigated, and those responsible held to account. The office also called for the measures taken to suppress the work of Matsadash and Mada Masr to be overturned.

Alessandra Vellucci, Director of the UN Information Service in Geneva, recalled the Secretary-General’s message on the International Day to End Impunity for Crimes against Journalists on Nov. 2.