By Karim Hammam
Egyptian authorities have released prominent journalist Lina Attalah after she was briefly detained and fined 3 million Egyptian pounds (approximately $53,500) by a Cairo court that also ordered the closure of her independent news outlet, Mada Masr.
Court conviction and sentencing
Attalah, the editor-in-chief of Mada Masr, was convicted of managing an unlicensed website. Her lawyer, Hassan al-Azhari, said she was released after the fine was paid, revealing that she had been sentenced in absentia in 2024 to one year in prison and a 20,000-pound fine. An appeal hearing is scheduled for 11 November.
Escalating crackdown on independent media
The move follows the recent arrest of the six-member team at the fact-checking platform Matsadaash, who were charged with belonging to the outlawed Muslim Brotherhood. Hossam Bahgat, head of the Egyptian Initiative for Personal Rights, warned that security agencies are shifting from harassment to wiping out independent media entirely.
International condemnation
Reporters Without Borders called the ruling “outrageous” and “shameful,” while the Committee to Protect Journalists and Amnesty International condemned the verdict as a crushing blow to press freedom. Egypt currently holds 25 journalists in detention, according to CPJ.
Political context
The crackdown coincides with increased statements from President Abdel Fatah al-Sisi since August alleging a conspiracy to destabilize the country and vowing to remain in power until 2030. Rights groups say the legal actions aim to shutter the remaining independent media space.
