Egyptian court orders closure of Mada Masr, fines editor Lina Attalah

· Investigations · Egypt

An Egyptian court ordered the closure of the independent news site Mada Masr and fined its editor, Lina Attalah, ICIJ reported. Attalah was briefly detained and ordered to pay more than $50,000 as part of a government crackdown on independent media. The ruling drew an international outcry. The case adds to pressure on Egyptian journalists and outlets that publish investigative work.

Why it matters：Closing an investigative outlet and penalizing its editor narrows the space for watchdog journalism in Egypt, a development that matters to press-freedom and cross-border investigative networks.

Key points

  • The court ordered Mada Masr closed and fined editor Lina Attalah more than $50,000.
  • Attalah was briefly detained.
  • The ruling triggered international criticism.

Sources (original reporting)

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