Egypt: CPJ Outraged By Egypt Court Conviction of Journalist Lina Attalah, Order of Mada Masr's Closure

What the report says

The Committee to Protect Journalists has condemned an Egyptian court’s conviction of Lina Attalah, editor-in-chief of the independent news outlet Mada Masr, and is urging authorities to overturn the ruling and free her. According to the report distributed by AllAfrica, the case concerns allegations that she ran an unlicensed website. The outlet said the ruling was issued by the New Cairo Misdemeanor Court.

The report says the court fined Attalah 3 million Egyptian pounds, ordered Mada Masr closed, and directed that its equipment be confiscated. Attalah was taken into custody after the verdict, and lawyers cited in the article said she would remain detained until the fine is paid. CPJ described the case as part of a broader pressure campaign against independent journalism in Egypt.

Mada Masr has long been one of Egypt’s few independent media outlets and has repeatedly sought a license from the authorities, according to the report. The article also says reporting from the hearing raised concerns about courtroom access and whether the defense was allowed to present key requests or challenge the process fully. Those details, if accurate, add to worries about due process in a case with major implications for press freedom.

The article places the ruling alongside a wider crackdown on journalists in Egypt, including arrests involving other investigative reporters. CPJ says Egypt remains among the world’s leading jailers of journalists, underscoring why the case is being watched closely by press-freedom groups and independent media advocates.