An Egyptian court has ordered the closure of the independent news site Mada Masr. Lina Attalah, the editor-in-chief of the portal, considered one of the last bastions of critical journalism in the country, was found guilty of running an unregistered website. She was taken into custody after the verdict was announced.
The court in New Cairo imposed the highest possible fine of three million Egyptian pounds, the equivalent of around 48,000 euros, on the journalist. It also ordered the confiscation of the property of “Mada Masr”.
Freedom of the press is severely restricted in Egypt. In the rankings of the organization Reporters Without Borders (RSF), the North African country is currently in 169th place out of 180. According to the organization, virtually all media are controlled by the Egyptian state, the security authorities or influential business people under government supervision. Anyone who does not submit to this censorship will have their websites blocked, according to RSF.
"Mada Masr", founded in 2013 by Attalah and colleagues, was blocked in 2017 like hundreds of other websites. The editorial team said it had tried several times to apply for a license from the Council for Media Regulation without success. Attalah and other journalists on the platform have been repeatedly arrested and interrogated in recent years. They were accused of spreading fake news and endangering national security.
"We are extremely concerned for Lina's safety while she is still in state security custody," said Lobna Darwish, advocacy director of the Egyptian Initiative for Personal Rights (EIPR). The organization's legal director is part of Attalah's defense team. He speaks of a "move by the Egyptian authorities to destroy the last remnants of independent media in Egypt." The court rejected a request for time to inspect the files and appointed a new lawyer against the wishes of Lina Attalah and her team.
Attalah's defenders are calling for "immediate and unconditional release."
Hossam Bahgat, executive director of EIPR, reported that the judge expelled everyone present except Attalah and her defense attorney from the courtroom. Plainclothes officers, security guards and an official from the National Security Agency then entered the room. The court-appointed lawyer did not speak out.
According to EIPR, this is the first case of a court-ordered closure in Egypt. The organization warns that the proceedings could set a precedent for similar actions against the remaining independent media.
Reporters Without Borders called the court's decision "outrageous" and called for it to be repealed immediately. Human rights lawyer Mai al-Sadani spoke of an “absolute farce.” Diplomats, scientists and researchers trusted the reports from “Mada Masr”.
The organization Amnesty International spoke of a “shocking setback for press freedom in Egypt.”
Human rights activists in Egypt repeatedly raise serious allegations against the government of President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi. Just last month, six journalists from the independent website “Matsda2sh,” which is known for fact-checking, were arrested. They are accused of spreading rumors and false news about state institutions.
