Egypt orders closure of leading independent news site Mada Masr
Editor Lina Attalah was freed once a $53,400 fine was paid, only to learn of a one-year sentence passed in her absence.
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."
Brief written by urgent.news from DW English (Top Stories)'s own syndicated text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
This story
This is one outlet's version. Read the fullest account.
