Egypt orders closure of Mada Masr and fines editor Lina Attalah
An Egyptian court has ordered the closure of Mada Masr, one of the country's most prominent independent news outlets, and fined its editor-in-chief, Lina Attalah, three million Egyptian pounds. The ruling was issued by the New Cairo Misdemeanour Court and also includes the confiscation of the outlet's equipment and devices. Attalah was briefly taken into custody after the decision before being released later the same day.
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The fine was paid in full by Mada Masr, which led to Attalah's release after several hours in detention. During the release process, she learned that she had already been sentenced in absentia in 2024 to one year in prison on charges of publishing false news and operating an unlicensed website. The outlet said her lawyers have challenged that earlier ruling and that a retrial hearing is scheduled for November 11.
Mada Masr said the court refused requests from its defence team to review the case file, submit additional evidence and call witnesses. The outlet also said the judge appointed a court-designated lawyer despite the presence of eight of Attalah's own lawyers and her objection to being represented in that way. According to the outlet, the judge then issued what it described as the maximum penalty without a review of the evidence or a proper defence.
The case is significant because Mada Masr is widely regarded as one of Egypt's last major independent news organisations. The ruling comes under Article 105 of Egypt's 2018 media law, which allows fines of between one million and three million Egyptian pounds, along with closure and confiscation, for operating an unlicensed website. Mada Masr says it applied for a licence from the Supreme Council for Media Regulation in 2018 and again in 2020, but received no reply.
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The hearing was attended by Hossam Bahgat, head of the Egyptian Initiative for Personal Rights, who was cited as saying the court proceeded with the appointment of a lawyer despite Attalah's objection. The outlet's lawyer, Hassan al-Azhari, also said the defence requests were rejected before the court appointed a lawyer. The sequence of events has intensified scrutiny of the legal pressure facing independent media in Egypt, where licensing rules and criminal cases have repeatedly been used in disputes over publication.
What remains unclear is how quickly the closure order will be enforced and what practical effect it will have on Mada Masr's operations. The retrial set for November 11 will be closely watched, along with any further steps in the 2024 case. The ruling also raises questions about whether the outlet will be able to continue publishing while it challenges the decision through the courts.
