Egyptian Court Fines and Releases Mada Masr Editor Lina Attalah
Egyptian journalist and Mada Masr editor-in-chief Lina Attalah was released after paying a fine equivalent to roughly 50,000 euros, the Dutch public broadcaster nos.nl reported. Attalah was arrested inside a courtroom following a judicial ruling that targeted the independent news outlet for operating without a license and ordered its website taken offline.
Human rights organizations, including Amnesty International and Human Rights Watch, condemned the court’s actions as an “ongekende aanval op de persvrijheid”. Mada Masr stands as the country’s last bastion of critical journalism. While Egyptian authorities have blocked access to the site domestically since 2017, readers inside the country continue to bypass the state restrictions using virtual private networks. Outside of Egypt, the publication remains fully accessible online.
Courtroom Dispute Preceded the Fine and Release
During the court proceedings, the presiding judge rejected requests submitted by Attalah’s defense counsel. In response to the rejections, her defense lawyers refused to present a formal plea. The judge subsequently assigned a replacement lawyer to represent Attalah.
Attalah rejected the court-appointed counsel, prompting the judge to issue the sentence amid “luid protest en geschreeuw van de verdediging”. Freedom of expression watchdog Reporters Without Borders ranks Egypt 169th out of 180 countries in its global press freedom index. The majority of media outlets operating in Egypt maintain ties to the state, and authorities detained six journalists from an investigative platform the month prior to Attalah’s arrest.
Frequently Asked Questions About the Case
What specific charges did Lina Attalah face in court?
Attalah was prosecuted for operating the independent news website Mada Masr without a license, leading to a judicial order to pay a fine and shut down the digital platform.
How do readers in Egypt access Mada Masr despite state blocks?
The news site has faced a domestic block by Egyptian authorities since 2017, but users within the country access it by utilizing VPN connections to bypass the block.
What international recognition has the Mada Masr editor received?
Time Magazine named Attalah one of the one hundred most influential people in the world in 2020, and she has won numerous international journalism awards.
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