Egypt orders closure of independent news site Mada Masr
Editor-in-chief Lina Attalah was briefly detained and fined over licensing violations. Rights groups condemned the ruling as a major blow to press freedom in Egypt, where independent media face growing pressure.
Egyptian authorities have ordered the closure of the independent news website Mada Masr following the conviction of its editor-in-chief, Lina Attalah, for operating without a license. The court imposed a fine of 3 million Egyptian pounds (approximately $53,400) and confiscated the website's equipment. Mada Masr, founded in 2013, is one of the few remaining independent news outlets in Egypt, known for investigating corruption, human rights violations, and the military's influence.
The website has faced years of legal battles with Egyptian authorities, who have blocked access to its site since 2017. The ruling has drawn international condemnation, with rights organizations describing it as an "unprecedented attack on press freedom."
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