Egypt suspends editorial team of fact-checking platform 'Matsadaksh'

Egyptian authorities have suspended the editorial team of the news platform "Matsadaksh," known for its work in fact-checking and debunking rumours, according to Deutsche Welle's Arabic service.

"Matsadaksh" was founded in 2018 and has since specialised in news verification and countering misinformation circulating on social media platforms. It enjoys wide popularity, with more than one million followers on Facebook.

The platform is also known for its critical coverage of Egyptian government policies, which has made it a recurring target of criticism from official quarters over the past years.

Egyptian authorities have not yet announced detailed official reasons for the decision to suspend the editorial team, and no statement has been issued by the platform's management clarifying its position on the decision or its next steps.

The move raises new questions about the operating space available to independent fact-checking platforms in Egypt, against a backdrop of a media environment that has repeatedly seen restrictions imposed on outlets critical of the government.