Egyptian journalist Lina Attalah detained after court orders news site’s closure
Egyptian journalist Lina Attalah, editor-in-chief of the independent news site Mada Masr, has been detained after a court convicted her of running an unlicensed website, her lawyers say. The court also ordered the site to close and imposed the maximum fine for the offence, prompting Amnesty International to describe the ruling as a serious blow to press freedom.
Attalah will remain in custody until she pays 3 million Egyptian pounds, about $53,500 or £40,100. Mada Masr says it repeatedly sought a licence after Egypt’s 2018 media law, but its applications were rejected or left unanswered; Attalah has faced six criminal investigations over the site’s reporting. The case comes amid broader pressure on independent media: the Committee to Protect Journalists says 25 journalists are currently imprisoned in Egypt.
In short
- Lina Attalah was detained after a court conviction.
- Mada Masr was ordered to close.
- The fine is 3 million Egyptian pounds.
Steelman: both sides, in good faith
The strongest fair case each way — we don't pick a winner.
The case for
Supporters of enforcing the licensing law could argue that media outlets should meet the same legal and regulatory requirements, and that courts must be able to impose penalties when they find those rules have been breached. They may see licensing as a way to establish accountability and consistent standards across the media sector.
The case against
Critics could argue that detaining an editor and closing a news site over licensing, especially after repeated unsuccessful or unanswered applications, is a disproportionate response that restricts independent reporting. The large fine and wider pattern of journalist imprisonment may deepen concerns that legal rules are being used to pressure critical media and undermine press freedom.