Egyptian Court Convicts Prominent Editor and Orders Independent News Site Closed

Egyptian security forces detained prominent journalist Lina Attalah after a Cairo court convicted her of operating an independent news website without a licence.

The New Cairo Misdemeanours Court ordered the closure of Mada Masr and fined Attalah 3 million Egyptian pounds, which equals around $53,400, representing the maximum penalty.

The verdict follows years of pressure on independent media in Egypt, which remains one of the world's leading jailers of journalists amid a broader government crackdown on dissent.

"Lina Attalah was released after we paid the said fine," said her lawyer Hassan al-Azhari.

During the hearing, the judge cleared the courtroom except for the defendant, her eight-person defence team, and a prominent local human rights advocate.

The judge denied procedural requests from the defence and appointed a separate lawyer from the Lawyers' Syndicate to represent Attalah.

"In a move that astonished all those present, the judge recorded in the official court minutes that the court had appointed a lawyer from the Lawyers' Syndicate to represent the defence," said Hossam Bahgat, head of the Egyptian Initiative for Personal Rights.

Attalah objected to the appointment, but the judge refused to record the objection and dictated motions on behalf of the silent lawyer, according to Bahgat.

The court announced the fine and closure order as protests erupted from the defence team, after which security personnel detained the editor inside the courtroom.

Defence lawyers subsequently discovered that Attalah had also been sentenced in absentia in 2024 to 1 year in prison and a smaller fine.

International human rights organizations condemned the court's decision, calling it a severe blow to freedom of expression and independent journalism.

The legal team has scheduled a new court hearing for November 11 to challenge the rulings and secure a full resolution for the journalist.