Egyptian Court Orders Closure of Mada Masr and Jails Editor

Lina Attalah, the editor-in-chief of Mada Masr, is now in custody after a Cairo court ordered the independent news outlet closed on Tuesday. Security personnel carried her out of the courtroom moments after Judge Mohamed Mubarak of the New Cairo Misdemeanour Court announced the verdict. The ruling imposes a fine of 3 million Egyptian pounds, roughly $53,500, and mandates the confiscation of the organization's property.

The conviction stems from a charge that Attalah ran an unlicensed website. This is the most severe penalty in a series of legal actions against Mada Masr, which has operated under President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi's government despite being blocked inside Egypt since May 2017. The outlet was founded by Attalah in 2013.

Attalah was referred for trial on 22 October in Case No. 9072/2026, following more than six hours of questioning by prosecutors. She had been released on bail of 100,000 Egyptian pounds, approximately $1,053, prior to the hearing. Prosecutors initially questioned her on publishing false news, specifically regarding a report on prison protests, but dropped that specific accusation from the final charge sheet.

Hossam Bahgat, executive director of the Egyptian Initiative for Personal Rights, described the hearing as chaotic. He stated that the judge cleared the room of all but Attalah and her lawyers before plainclothes officers and a National Security Agency representative entered. The judge rejected the defense's requests to submit documents and hear witnesses. When the defense refused to enter a plea, the judge appointed a lawyer unknown to the team, a move Bahgat said astonished those present.

Attalah objected to the new appointment, but the judge refused to record her protest in the minutes. The judge then wrote down requests attributed to the court-appointed lawyer, who had not spoken, before reading the verdict over the shouts of the defense team. The Supreme State Security Prosecution had a representative present during the proceedings.

Sara Qudah, regional director for the Committee to Protect Journalists, called the detention an attack on free speech. She stated that the verdict serves as a direct message aimed at dismantling independent media in the country. Qudah noted that Attalah and Mada Masr are prominent voices covering issues of public interest that might otherwise go unreported.

This is the sixth case brought against Mada Masr in six years. Previous actions include a 2022 trial for offending lawmakers, a 2019 office raid, and questioning in August 2025 regarding reports on Badr 3 prison. The Journalists' Syndicate argued that licensing disputes should be handled by administrative courts rather than criminal prosecution. Human Rights Watch expressed concern that licensing requirements are being used to restrict independent media.

The ruling follows the arrest of six journalists from the investigative platform Matsadaash on 28 and 29 September. Attalah's summons arrived hours after Mada Masr joined seven other Arab outlets in a joint newsroom initiative. Reporters Without Borders ranks Egypt 169th out of 180 countries in its 2026 index, noting that the nation remains one of the world's largest jailers of journalists despite recent high-profile releases.