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Egyptian Journalist Lina Attalah Sent to Trial Over Unlicensed News Site
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Trial Referral for Mada Masr Editor
Egypt’s Supreme State Security Prosecution has referred Lina Attalah, editor-in-chief of the independent outlet Mada Masr, to a New Cairo misdemeanors court on a charge of operating a website without a license. The case, registered as No. 9072 of 2026, is scheduled to begin on October 27. Attalah was released on bail of 100,000 Egyptian pounds (about $1,905) after the referral.
Legal Background and Licensing Dispute
Mada Masr has been seeking an official publishing licence since 2018, the year Egypt enacted a law governing the press. The government did not respond for several years; in 2022 the outlet learned its request had been rejected, and a 2023 lawsuit revealed the denial was due to missing documents. This is the sixth legal action against the site in six years, with a prior August 2025 case resulting in a 30,000-pound bail after accusations of spreading false news.
Government Charges and Potential Penalties
Prosecutors questioned Attalah for roughly six hours about the site’s founding, funding, and board composition. Her lawyer, Hassan al-Azhari, warned that a conviction could carry a fine of 1 million to 3 million Egyptian pounds (approximately €16,000–€48,000 or $18,000–$54,000), describing the rapid referral as “unjustified urgency.”
Press-Freedom Reactions
Sara Qudah, director for the Middle East and North Africa at the Committee to Protect Journalists, said Egypt is using its media law to punish independent journalism, noting the broader crackdown that began with the arrest of six Matsadaash journalists. Reporters Without Borders (RSF) expressed alarm at the prosecutors’ questioning and highlighted Egypt’s low standing—169th of 180 countries—in its 2026 World Press Freedom Index. Human-rights lawyer Nabeh El-Ghanady and EIPR director Hossam Bahgat characterized the move as unprecedented pressure on the press.
Upcoming Proceedings
The trial will be heard in New Cairo next week. Observers expect the court to decide on both the licence violation and any associated fines, while international press-freedom groups have called for the charges to be dropped and for Egypt to restore independent media operations.