Egypt's court has ordered the closure of Mada Masr, a leading independent news site, and fined its editor-in-chief, Lina Attalah, three million Egyptian pounds ($53,400) for operating an unlicensed website. The ruling comes days after the site was blocked in 2017 and has faced multiple legal challenges since 2013.
The court also ordered the confiscation of Mada Masr's equipment and devices, with Attalah detained after the ruling. She was released after paying the full fine, but learned she had been sentenced in absentia to one year in prison for publishing false news and running an unlicensed website. A retrial is scheduled for November 11.
Amnesty International called the verdict a 'crushing blow' to press freedom in Egypt, warning that it marks a dark day for independent journalism. The court's decision has sparked concerns about the justice system's treatment of media outlets and journalists, with rights groups demanding the ruling be overturned.