Lina Attalah: Mada Masr journalist sent for trial in Egypt

Egyptian journalist Lina Attalah sent for trial over website licensing issue

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Lina Attalah, the editor-in-chief of Mada Masr, has been sent for trial in Egypt. According to DW News, Attalah is accused of managing a website without a license. Mada Masr has published critical reporting related to Egyptian President Abdel-Fattah el-Sissi's government. The website frequently features articles in both Arabic and English.

Prosecutors questioned Attalah for six hours on Wednesday in New Cairo. She is accused of running a website without a license and the publication of false news "with the aim of disturbing public peace." However, the latter allegation was dropped from the charge sheet in the trial referral.

The trial has been referred to a New Cairo misdemeanors court and is slated to begin on October 27. Hassan al-Azhari, Mada Masr's legal counsel, said there was "haste" in the trial referral and that the trial beginning next week signals "unjustified urgency."

Attalah could face a financial penalty of between 1 million to 3 million Egyptian pounds (around €16,000 to €48,000; $18,000 to $54,000) if convicted. Mada Masr has sought a license from the Egyptian government to run its news website since 2018, but has been unresponsive to their requests. The site filed a lawsuit in 2022 and found out in 2023 that the rejection was due to missing documents.

The Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ) expressed alarm about Attalah's referral to trial. "Egypt is weaponizing its media law to punish independent journalism and intensify one of its worst crackdowns in years," the CPJ's director for Middle East and North Africa Sara Qudah said. Reporters without Borders (RSF) had earlier said it was alarmed by prosecutors' questioning of Attalah.

Mada Masr has been critical of the Egyptian government, and this is not the first time the site has faced legal issues. Egyptian authorities arrested six journalists last month for independent fact-checking and investigative website Matsadaash. The site has been seeking a license since 2018, but has been unresponsive to their requests.