Egyptian Court Orders Permanent Closure of Mada Masr and Fines Editor
The ruling eliminates one of Egypt's few remaining independent news outlets as authorities penalize its editor under strict media licensing regulations.
An Egyptian misdemeanour court in Cairo ordered the permanent closure of independent news outlet Mada Masr on Tuesday, October 27, 2026. The court also ordered the confiscation of its equipment. The judge convicted editor-in-chief Lina Attalah of operating an unlicensed website under Egypt’s 2018 media law.
The court imposed a maximum fine of 3 million Egyptian pounds, approximately 53,400 dollars. The judge ordered Attalah detained in the courtroom until the fine was settled. Security personnel removed the 44-year-old editor into custody.
Authorities held Attalah for about seven hours before releasing her once Mada Masr paid the fine in full. During the release procedure, her legal team discovered a prior ruling. A court had sentenced Attalah in absentia in 2024 to one year in prison on false news and licensing charges.
Mada Masr said the trial violated due process. The outlet stated that the judge rejected all defense requests to examine case files, obtain delays, or summon witnesses. The judge then appointed a state-selected lawyer over objections from Attalah.
Hossam Bahgat, executive director of the Egyptian Initiative for Personal Rights, attended as an observer. Bahgat said the judge entered requests for the state-appointed attorney into the record before that lawyer spoke. The judge then issued the guilty verdict.
Amnesty International said the ruling dealt a crushing blow to Egyptian press freedom. The group said the measures sent a ruthless message that independent reporting will not be tolerated. Human Rights Watch said the prosecution marked an escalation against independent media.
United States Senator Chris Van Hollen said the charges were baseless and affirmed that journalism is not a crime. Egyptian authorities maintained that the state safeguards free expression. Officials said media outlets must follow statutory laws, counter misinformation, and protect national security.
Egypt’s Supreme Council for Media Regulation previously stated that it facilitates licensing for outlets that meet statutory requirements. However, Mada Masr applied for licenses in 2018 and 2020 without receiving written notice. Regulators only disclosed the rejection during a 2022 legal probe.
Founded in 2013, Mada Masr investigated security agencies, corruption, and human rights violations. Egyptian authorities blocked access to the outlet’s website domestically in 2017. Egypt ranked 169th out of 180 countries in the 2026 Reporters Without Borders World Press Freedom Index.
Lead defense counsel Hassan el-Azhary said Mada Masr will appeal the closure and confiscation rulings to request their suspension. Defense lawyers also filed an objection to Attalah’s 2024 prison sentence. A Cairo court scheduled a retrial hearing for that case on November 11, 2026.
