Egyptian court orders one of last independent media outlets to close; editor held, fined

An Egyptian court ordered the closure of Mada Masr, one of the country's last independent news outlets, and convicted its editor-in-chief Lina Attalah of operating without a license. Attalah was fined $53,400 and ordered detained until the fine is paid. The outlet has sought a license since 2018 without receiving a response. The case is part of a broader crackdown on independent media in Egypt, which ranks 169th in the 2026 World Press Freedom Index.

An Egyptian court ordered the closure of Mada Masr, one of Egypt's last independent news outlets, on Tuesday, and convicted its editor-in-chief and founder, Lina Attalah, of operating a website without a license. Attalah was fined approximately $53,400 and ordered detained until the fine is paid. Mada Masr, known for investigating corruption, the military's role, and human rights violations, said it first applied for a license in 2018 but never received an answer. Authorities have blocked its website inside Egypt since 2017. During the session at a Cairo misdemeanor court, the judge rejected all defense procedural requests and ordered closing arguments immediately. When Attalah's eight lawyers refused, the judge appointed a court-appointed lawyer unknown to them. Human Rights Watch called the prosecution an escalation in an 'outrageous attack on independent media,' and Amnesty International said the decision sends a 'clear and ruthless message' that independent reporting will not be tolerated. The case is part of a broader crackdown on independent media in Egypt, which ranks 169th in the 2026 World Press Freedom Index.