In brief
The New Cairo Misdemeanours Court convicted Lina Attalah of operating Mada Masr, an independent Egyptian news outlet, without a license, and imposed a fine of 3 million Egyptian pounds. The judge also ordered the site closed, a decision condemned by Amnesty International and the Committee to Protect Journalists. Attalah’s lawyers were denied procedural rights and a judge appointed a lawyer without her consent, sparking protests in court. The ruling comes amid a broader crackdown on dissent in Egypt, following the 2013 overthrow of President Mohammed Morsi.
Egypt’s New Cairo Misdemeanours Court convicted Lina Attalah of managing Mada Masr, an independent news outlet, without a licence, and ordered the site shut down.
Attalah will be held until she pays a fine of 3 million Egyptian pounds (about US$53,500), the maximum penalty for the charge she has rejected.
Human‑rights group Amnesty International called the verdict a “crushing blow” to press freedom, highlighting that Egypt now has 25 journalists in custody according to the Committee to Protect Journalists.
The arrest follows earlier arrests of six independent fact‑checking journalists and reflects a broader crackdown that swept thousands of opposition figures, academics and media workers since President Abdel‑Fattah el‑Sisi seized power in 2013.
Mada Masr, founded in 2013, has repeatedly sought a licence under a 2018 media law, but its applications have been either rejected or left unanswered by the Supreme Media Regulatory Council.
Attalah’s lawyers noted that prosecutors had already summoned her for questioning before the hearing, alleging “false news” and unlicensed operation. In court, the judge denied several procedural requests, appointed a lawyer from the Lawyers’ Syndicate without Attalah’s consent, and entered motions on the lawyer’s behalf.
"In a move that astonished all those present, the judge recorded in the official court minutes that the court had appointed a lawyer from the Lawyers' Syndicate to represent the defence," said Hossam Bahgat, head of the Egyptian Initiative for Personal Rights.
The judge subsequently announced Attalah’s fine and closed Mada Masr, prompting shouts and protests from her defence team. After being detained, Attalah was released on bail but remains under trial.
Amnesty International warned the ruling marks “a dark day for independent journalism” and called for Attalah’s release and the outlet’s reinstatement. "This draconian ruling is the culmination of years of relentless harassment and unjust proceedings designed to shut down one of the country's last remaining independent media voices," senior director Yasmine Ahmed said.
CPJ regional director Sara Qudah echoed these demands: "If Egypt can put in custody one of its most respected editors and shut down her newsroom, no independent journalist in the country is safe. Attalah must be released immediately, and Mada Masr must be allowed to keep reporting."
