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Egypt: Lina Attalah released after verdict targeting Mada Masr

This dossier follows proceedings against Mada Masr and its editor, the licensing dispute and announced appeals. It distinguishes court decisions, statements by the parties and established effects on the outlet.

Last updated : 1 key moments
Lina Attalah at the International Journalism Festival in April 2017. Archive portrait, unrelated to her release from court in 2026.
Lina Attalah at the International Journalism Festival in April 2017. Archive portrait, unrelated to her release from court in 2026. — International Journalism Festival / Wikimedia Commons / Flickr — CC BY-SA 2.0 https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/2.0/ ; 7 avril 2017, recadrage préexistant par Ibrahim.ID.

Where things stand

Mada Masr editor-in-chief Lina Attalah was released on the evening of 27 October 2026 after a fine of three million Egyptian pounds was paid, according to her outlet and subsequent reporting. The court also ordered the website closed and its equipment confiscated.

Reported information

Egypt: Lina Attalah released after verdict targeting Mada Masr

Mada Masr editor-in-chief Lina Attalah was released on the evening of 27 October 2026 after a fine of three million Egyptian pounds was paid, according to her outlet and subsequent reporting. The court also ordered the website closed and its equipment confiscated.

Lina Attalah at the International Journalism Festival in April 2017. Archive portrait, unrelated to her release from court in 2026.
Lina Attalah at the International Journalism Festival in April 2017. Archive portrait, unrelated to her release from court in 2026. — International Journalism Festival / Wikimedia Commons / Flickr — CC BY-SA 2.0 https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/2.0/ ; 7 avril 2017, recadrage préexistant par Ibrahim.ID.

The conviction concerns running a website without a licence. The outlet says it has repeatedly sought licensing since 2018 and is awaiting a response to its latest application in 2023. Its lawyer has said the closure will be challenged.

Reuters reports that Egyptian authorities invoke compliance with the law, national security and efforts to counter misinformation. Press-freedom groups describe the verdict as an attack on independent reporting.

Attalah’s release does not mean the closure order has been overturned. The sources consulted report no decision reversing the judgment.

Sources 4