World
Egypt court fines Lina Attalah 3m pounds, closes Mada Masr
BBC News·
A New Cairo court fined Mada Masr editor Lina Attalah 3 million Egyptian pounds, about $53,500, for an unlicensed website and ordered closure. Security held her for hours on October 27 until the fine was paid, Mada Masr said. Amnesty International called the verdict a crushing blow to press freedom. Egypt holds 25 journalists in prison, CPJ says.
Prism
What It Means For You
- Mada Masr said it had sought an operating licence from the Supreme Media Regulatory Council since 2018 without approval.
- Attalah faced six criminal investigations over Mada Masr reporting before this trial, Amnesty said.
- Her defence team is seeking release on bail after the courtroom detention, AFP reported.
What's Happening
- Prosecutors had summoned her over publishing false news and running a site without a licence last week.
- Rights activist Hossam Bahgat said the judge appointed a syndicate lawyer over defence objections.
- The case is the sixth against Attalah and Mada Masr in six years, but the first to reach trial.
Press Pressure Since 2013
- Mada Masr was founded in 2013 and has faced long-standing pressure from Egyptian authorities, CPJ said.
- The verdict follows terrorism charges against six Matsda2sh fact-checking journalists weeks earlier.
- President Abdul Fattah al-Sisi has overseen mass detentions since the 2013 military removal of Mohammed Morsi.
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