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Lina Attalah’s retrial postponed amid UN concerns over press freedom
A Cairo court has postponed the retrial of Lina Attalah, editor-in-chief of independent Egyptian news site Mada Masr, until 18 November. The case has drawn international concern, with the UN warning of growing pressure on independent journalists; Attalah says recent action against newsrooms is intended to make them fear they could be targeted next.
The retrial concerns a 2024 conviction issued in Attalah’s absence for spreading false news and running a website without a licence. Her lawyers asked the judge to step aside, arguing he had already formed a view of the case. In a separate case last month, Attalah was fined 3 million Egyptian pounds (£42,000) and Mada Masr was ordered to close; she is appealing that conviction on 25 November. Egypt ranked 169th of 180 countries for press freedom in Reporters Without Borders’ 2026 analysis, which said at least 26 journalists remain detained.
In short
- Lina Attalah’s retrial has been postponed until 18 November.
- Her lawyers asked the judge to recuse himself.
- The UN has raised concerns about pressure on Egypt’s independent media.
Read the full article at the source →
Originally published by BBC World as “Egyptian journalist’s retrial adjourned as UN warns of ‘assaults on press freedom’”.