Egyptian Journalist Lina Attalah Detained After Court Orders News Site's Closure

Lina Attalah, the editor-in-chief of the independent Egyptian news outlet Mada Masr, has been taken into custody following a court order to close her publication. A New Cairo Misdemeanours Court convicted Attalah of managing an unlicensed website and imposed a fine of 3 million Egyptian pounds (approximately $53,500). Her detention is contingent on her failure to pay this fine, which represents the maximum penalty for the charge she has contested.

Amnesty International characterized the verdict as "a crushing blow to press freedom." The ruling comes shortly after six journalists from the fact-checking platform Matsda2sh were charged with belonging to the Muslim Brotherhood.

According to the Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ), Egypt ranks among the countries with the highest number of journalists imprisoned globally, with 25 currently detained. Since coming to power in 2013, President Abdul Fattah al-Sisi has overseen a significant crackdown on dissent, leading to the detention of tens of thousands of individuals, including activists, media workers, and academics.

Mada Masr, established in 2013, has been a significant source of critical reporting in Egypt and has faced sustained pressure from authorities, the CPJ noted. The outlet has reportedly sought an operating license from the Supreme Media Regulatory Council (SMRC) since a new media law was enacted in 2018, but its applications have either been rejected or ignored.

Amnesty International also highlighted that Attalah has endured years of harassment and intimidation, including multiple criminal investigations related to Mada Masr's reporting. Prosecutors recently summoned her for questioning over allegations of publishing "false news" and operating without a license. The investigation reportedly included reports on protests within prisons and correspondence from the SMRC regarding the outlet's legal status.

Attalah was initially released on bail before being referred to trial. During the court hearing, the judge ordered the courtroom cleared, barring all but Attalah, her legal team, and Hossam Bahgat, head of the Egyptian Initiative for Personal Rights. Bahgat reported that the judge appointed a lawyer to represent Attalah against her objections, refusing to record her protests. The judge then proceeded to dictate motions on behalf of this appointed lawyer, who had not spoken, and entered them into the court record before announcing the verdict and ordering the closure of Mada Masr.

"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," said Yasmine Ahmed, Amnesty International's senior director for regional impact. "Lina Attalah should never have been prosecuted for exercising her right to freedom of expression and doing her journalistic job."

Sara Qudah, CPJ Regional Director, stated, "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."