Egypt: Mada Masr, Lina Attalah Convicted for Unlicensed Website

• The New Cairo Misdemeanor Court ordered the closure of Mada Masr, fined its editor Lina Attalah 3 million EGP, and confiscated equipment for operating an unlicensed website. Attalah was released after paying the fine, and an appeal has been filed against the ruling.
• Lina Attalah also faces an in absentia conviction from 2024, sentencing her to one year in prison for false news and unlicensed operation, which her defense is appealing with a review hearing set for November 11, 2026.
• Egypt's Media Law 180 of 2018 requires websites to obtain licenses from the Supreme Council for Media Regulation, a process critics say is used to control media.
• The licensing procedure is problematic, with delays and lack of clarity often preventing outlets from securing necessary approvals, making operation a criminal offense.
• Other independent outlets like Al-Manassa and Fakar Tany have faced similar issues, including raids, arrests, and rejections, highlighting widespread challenges for journalism in Egypt. Fakar Tany's appeal against its September 2024 rejection is still pending.

The legal actions against Mada Masr are rooted in Egypt Media Law 180 of 2018, which mandates that websites obtain a license from the Supreme Council for Media Regulation (SCMR).

A recent ruling by the New Cairo Misdemeanor Court has resulted in significant penalties for Mada Masr, a prominent Egyptian media outlet, and its editor-in-chief, Lina Attalah. On October 27, the court mandated the closure of Mada Masr, imposed a fine of 3 million Egyptian pounds (approximately US$54,000) on Attalah, and ordered the confiscation of the outlet's equipment. Attalah was released after the fine was paid, and Mada Masr's legal team has filed an appeal against the closure and confiscation orders. These measures were enacted due to the outlet's operation of an unlicensed website, despite Mada Masr's assertions that it had repeatedly sought a license without success.

The trial itself was reportedly marred by serious procedural violations, though the Supreme Judicial Council of Egypt has dismissed these allegations. The Council claimed that Attalah had forfeited her right to appeal, a point strongly contested by her defense team. An initial appeal hearing for the October 27 ruling has been scheduled for November 25, 2026. Adding to the legal challenges, Attalah discovered an in absentia conviction from 2024, sentencing her to one year in prison for charges including disseminating false news and operating a website without a license. Her legal representatives have filed an objection to this judgment, with a review hearing set for November 11, 2026.

This `Mada Masr Lina Attalah conviction Egypt` case underscores the severe `Egypt journalism criminal penalties` faced by independent media in the country.

The legal actions against Mada Masr are rooted in `Egypt Media Law 180 of 2018`, which mandates that websites obtain a license from the `Supreme Council for Media Regulation` (SCMR). This requirement stands in stark contrast to constitutional provisions, specifically Articles 70 and 71, which guarantee the right to establish newspapers through notification and generally prohibit their closure or confiscation, except under specific wartime conditions.

The licensing process itself has been criticized as a tool for state control. Mohamed Salah, chairman of the independent outlet Fakar Tany, noted that the law effectively transforms a system of notification into one of permission, allowing the state to dictate who can operate a media platform. The executive regulations grant the SCMR 90 days to process applications; however, this timeframe only begins once all required documents are submitted and confirmed complete by the council, a confirmation that, according to Salah, is often deliberately withheld. Unlike print newspapers, where silence on an application can imply approval, the absence of a decision for websites can leave applicants in limbo for years, making operation without a license a criminal offense.

This creates a precarious situation for independent outlets, many of which find themselves operating without official authorization due to these `Egyptian press licensing restrictions`. The penalties for `unlicensed website operation Egypt` are substantial, as demonstrated by the Mada Masr case.

The `New Cairo Misdemeanor Court Mada Masr` ruling is not an isolated incident but rather indicative of a broader strategy to stifle independent journalism in Egypt. Numerous other outlets have encountered similar obstacles in their attempts to secure licenses. An editor-in-chief of another independent Egyptian outlet, speaking anonymously due to fear of reprisal, confirmed that dozens of media organizations remain unlicensed, with many hesitant to speak out publicly lest it jeopardize their pending applications. Approval for licenses often depends on the discretion of other state agencies, not solely the SCMR.

For instance, Al-Manassa applied for a license in October 2018, paid the requisite fees, but never received a response. In June 2020, security forces raided its offices, arresting its editor-in-chief, Nora Younis, who was held for two nights and questioned on charges of running an unlicensed website before being released on 10,000 Egyptian pounds (approximately US$187) bail. A subsequent application in August 2020 also went unanswered. Similarly, Fakar Tany applied in July 2023, only to be rejected in September 2024, with its appeal still pending.

Mohamed Salah highlighted the dual threat faced by unlicensed outlets: the legal representative can be charged with operating a website without a license, while staff members risk charges of impersonating journalists, as they cannot register with the syndicate without an officially licensed outlet. This environment of denied licenses and potential criminalization also serves as a pretext for blocking outlets under both media and cybercrime laws, further restricting access to independent news.

Lawyers advising media clients or compliance officers in media organizations operating in Egypt must be acutely aware of the stringent and often arbitrarily applied licensing requirements under Media Law 180 of 2018. This case highlights the significant risk of criminal charges, substantial fines, and asset confiscation for perceived non-compliance, even when good-faith attempts to obtain licenses are made, necessitating robust legal strategies to navigate state control over media operations.

Source: Original reporting via Committee to Protect Journalists