Egyptian security forces have detained Lina Attalah, the editor-in-chief of Mada Masr, the country’s prominent independent news organization, after she was fined during a rapid legal proceeding on Tuesday.
In a single court hearing, a misdemeanor tribunal ordered Mada Masr to cease operations and imposed a fine of approximately €850 on Attalah for running the website without a license.
According to Mada Masr, security officers surrounded her, lifted her off the ground, and carried her out of the courtroom immediately after the decision, keeping her in custody within the courthouse building.
Hossam Bahgat, director of the Egyptian Initiative for Personal Rights, attended the hearing and noted that the judge announced the ruling amid shouts and protests from defence lawyers right before Attalah was taken away.
Human rights groups view the quick trial as a troubling step forward in the ongoing suppression of independent media in Egypt.
The move follows the recent arrests of journalists associated with Matsadaash, an online fact-checking project. Those reporters were charged with spreading false information and maintaining connections to the Muslim Brotherhood, accusations routinely leveled against news organizations that criticize the state.
This marks the sixth legal action targeting Attalah and Mada Masr over the past six years, though none of the prior matters had reached the trial stage.
According to data compiled by the Egyptian Initiative for Personal Rights, Egypt currently detains 26 journalists in connection with their reporting activities.
