In brief
Egyptian journalist Lina Attalah, chief editor of Mada Masr, was taken into custody after a court ruled the outlet operated without a licence and ordered it shut down. She faces a 3‑million‑pound fine and will remain in detention until payment. Human rights groups and the Committee to Protect Journalists have condemned the verdict as a stark blow to press freedom, following a wider crackdown on dissent in Egypt. The case underscores escalating pressure on independent media under President Sisi.'s regime.
The editor‑in‑chief of the independent Egyptian news outlet Mada~Masr, Lina Attalah, was taken into custody after a court convicted her of managing an unlicensed website and ordered its closure.
The New Cairo Misdemeanours Court handed her a 3 million‑Egyptian‑pound fine (about $53,500) – the maximum imposed for the charge she rejected – and held her until payment is made.
Amnesty International described the verdict as a “crushing blow to press freedom” and warned that the ruling marked a new low for independent journalism in the country.
Mada~Masr, founded in 2013, has long faced pressure from authorities, repeatedly applying for an operating licence from the Supreme Media Regulatory Council; its applications were either rejected or left unanswered.
Attalah’s legal team noted the investigation included reports on prison protests and a letter from the council concerning the site’s legal status. She was released on bail and referred to trial on the charge of operating a website without a licence.
During a hearing Judge Mohammed Mubarak cleared the courtroom except for Attalah, her defence team and Hossam Bahgat of the Egyptian Initiative for Personal Rights. He then appointed a lawyer from the Lawyers' Syndicate to represent her, a move House added to the proceedings and entered motions in the official record.
The judge announced the fine and ordered the site’s closure, prompting protests from the defence. Attalah was detained thereafter.
Amnesty International’s senior director for regional impact, Yasmine Ahmed, called the ruling “a dark day for independent journalism” and demanded its reversal. The Committee to Protect Journalists Regional Director, Sara Qudah, warned that the detention of such a respected editor undermines safety for all journalists in Egypt and urged her immediate release and the site’s legal operation to continue.
