A retrial for Egyptian journalist and Mada Masr editor-in-chief, Lina Attalah, has been postponed by a criminal court in Cairo. The case, which has drawn international criticism, involves charges of publishing false news. The trial was adjourned until November 18 at the request of Attalah's defense lawyers for a new judge. The United Nations (UN) has expressed concern over "widening assaults on press freedom" by Egyptian authorities, including targeting, persecution, and harassment of independent journalists. Attalah, who founded Mada Masr 13 years ago, was previously convicted last month of running a website without a license, which she had tried unsuccessfully to obtain for years. She was fined heavily and the news outlet was ordered to shut down. The retrial in the case involves an additional charge of spreading false news, issued in absentia in 2024 despite her being in the country at the time. Attalah's defense team has requested the judge's recusal, arguing that he has already formed a conviction against the defendant. Egypt ranks 169th out of 180 countries for press freedom, according to Reporters Without Borders' 2026 analysis. The group reports that at least 26 journalists who were arrested in recent years remain in detention. The UN has called for the release of six journalists from the independent fact-checking platform Matsda2sh, who were arrested in September and face charges of joining the Muslim Brotherhood and financing terrorism. The case against Attalah "raises fresh concerns regarding due process and fair trial," according to a spokesperson for the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights.
SUMMARY (CONT'D):
The current legal actions against journalists in Egypt come after the removal of former president Mohammed Morsi, backed by the Muslim Brotherhood, by the military in July 2013. Under President Abdul Fattah al-Sisi, who took office the following year, the Islamist movement was classified as a terrorist organization, leading to a widespread clampdown. Attalah has suggested that the authorities might be attempting to silence independent voices at a time of economic strain and regional instability in Egypt. The US State Department has also expressed concern over the increasing suppression of freedom of the press in Egypt. Mada Masr, which became Egypt's leading independent news site under Attalah, provided deep coverage of politics, economics, regional upheaval, and wars in Libya, Sudan, and Gaza. The factual reporting and professional standards of Mada Masr have played an important role in Egyptian society, according to Attalah, who insists that they benefit the government by providing a space for open, professional media organizations.
SUMMARY (CONT'D):
The ongoing legal actions against Mada Masr and other independent news outlets in Egypt raise concerns about the state of freedom of expression in the country. The UN has called on Egypt to end all forms of harassment of journalists and media outlets, and to respect and fulfill the right to freedom of expression, including the right to information. The steps taken to suppress the continued work of both Mada Masr and Matsda2sh must be overturned, according to the UN, as the people of Egypt have a right to read and hear views expressed through these fora on issues of legitimate public concern. Attalah's retrial and the ongoing legal actions against independent journalists in Egypt highlight the need for continued international attention and pressure to protect freedom of the press in the country.