An Egyptian court has ordered the closure of independent news website Mada Masr and fined its editor-in-chief, Lina Attalah, three million Egyptian pounds (about $53,400) for allegedly operating a media platform without a licence.
The ruling, delivered on Tuesday, also ordered the confiscation of the website’s equipment, in what press freedom advocates have described as a major blow to independent journalism in the North African country.
Attalah, one of Egypt’s prominent independent journalists, was detained for several hours following the verdict but was released after the outlet paid the fine, according to reports by Deutsche Welle and other international media organisations.
The court’s decision followed years of legal disputes between Mada Masr and Egyptian authorities over the website’s operating licence.
Founded in 2013, Mada Masr is known for its investigative reports on corruption, human rights violations and the influence of the military in Egypt’s political affairs. The website has been blocked inside the country since 2017.
The organisation said it first applied for a licence in 2018 but received no response for several years. It later discovered that the application had been rejected and challenged the decision through the courts.
Mada Masr also said its latest licensing application, submitted in 2023, remained unanswered.
During Tuesday’s proceedings, lawyers representing Attalah reportedly complained that the court rejected requests to examine case files and submit additional evidence.
The judge also appointed another lawyer to represent the editor despite objections from Attalah and her eight-member defence team.
The verdict was announced amid protests from the defence, while the outlet said it planned to appeal the closure order.
Attalah was also informed following her release that she had been sentenced in absentia in a separate case in 2024 to one year in prison over allegations of spreading false news and operating an unlicensed website. Her lawyers have challenged that conviction, with another hearing scheduled for November 11.
The latest ruling attracted condemnation from international human rights and press freedom organisations.
Amnesty International described the decision as a major setback for press freedom, while the Committee to Protect Journalists said the prosecution reflected the growing use of media regulations to target independent journalism.
Reporters Without Borders also criticised the proceedings, warning about the implications for journalists working independently in Egypt.
The case comes amid broader concerns over restrictions on the country’s media landscape. Six journalists associated with the independent fact-checking platform Matsadaash were arrested in September and subsequently faced terrorism-related allegations.
Rights groups have also raised concerns about their reported treatment in custody, although Egypt’s Interior Ministry has denied allegations of torture.
According to the Egyptian Initiative for Personal Rights, 26 journalists were being held in connection with their work in the country.
Egyptian authorities maintain that media organisations must comply with the law and respect national security requirements.
However, press freedom advocates argue that the prosecution of independent outlets and journalists risks limiting public access to information and discouraging investigative reporting.
Egypt ranked 169th out of 180 countries in the 2026 World Press Freedom Index, reflecting the difficult environment facing independent journalists in the country.
