Organizations Condemn Mada Masr Shutdown and Conviction of Lina Attalah
Lina Attalah, editor-in-chief of the independent Egyptian news outlet Mada Masr, was convicted by the New Cairo Misdemeanor Court on charges of managing an unlicensed website, receiving the maximum penalty of a 3 million Egyptian pound fine—approximately US$54,000—alongside the closure of her newsroom’s website and the confiscation of its devices and equipment, merip.org reported.
The ruling triggered a severe widening of an ongoing state crackdown on independent journalism in Egypt, prompting international press freedom groups and regional organizations to issue widespread condemnations.
Attalah Faces in Absentia Conviction After Courtroom Arrest
Following the verdict inside the courtroom, authorities took Attalah into custody before releasing her after seven hours. During the subsequent release procedures, Attalah discovered an in absentia conviction issued against her in 2024. That earlier ruling had sentenced her to one year in prison on charges of disseminating false news and operating a website without a license. Her legal defense team filed an objection, setting a review hearing for November 11.
The trial itself proceeded amid substantial procedural barriers. Defense lawyers reported being blocked from receiving adequate time to review the case file, while journalists faced exclusion from the courtroom during crucial phases of the proceedings. The court also appointed a lawyer for Attalah over her objections and the active presence of her eight-member defense team, issuing the verdict immediately afterward.
Escalating Crackdown on Independent Egyptian Media
The case against Attalah follows a series of escalating actions against independent reporters in Egypt that began in late September. Authorities arrested six journalists from the investigative and fact-checking platform Matsadaash. Several of those detained told prosecutors they faced torture and coercion to record fabricated confessions. The pressure campaign quickly widened when journalist Rasha Azab received a formal summons for questioning, and the Egyptian Journalists Syndicate faced a coordinated defamation campaign.
According to documentation from merip.org, Attalah and Mada Masr were interrogated and referred to trial shortly after joining other regional outlets to establish a solidarity flash newsroom. That collaborative project aimed to fill reporting gaps left by the arrest of the Matsadaash journalists. A total of 129 organizations, including the Middle East Research and Information Project (MERIP), have signed statements demanding that Egyptian authorities halt the intimidation campaign, drop restrictions, and immediately release the 25 journalists currently held in custody.
Mada Masr Appeals Court Ruling and Shutdown Order
Mada Masr’s legal team intends to appeal the New Cairo Misdemeanor Court ruling and utilize every available avenue to overturn the shutdown order and the financial penalties. While the November 11 hearing will address the 2024 in absentia sentence, broader questions remain regarding whether the Egyptian government will heed international calls to grant operational licenses to independent newsrooms without discrimination.