An Egyptian court has ordered the immediate shutdown of Mada Masr, one of the country's few remaining independent news organizations, following the conviction of its editor-in-chief, Lina Attalah. The ruling centers on allegations of operating without a required license, a charge that has intensified international scrutiny over the state of press freedom in the region.

The judicial panel imposed a fine of 3 million Egyptian pounds, representing the maximum statutory penalty for the violation, alongside an order to confiscate the outlet's equipment and permanently close its website. Defense attorneys reported that the presiding judge dismissed their requests to review case files or submit counter-evidence during the contentious hearing in Cairo, instead appointing replacement legal representation over the objections of the defense team.

While Egyptian authorities maintain that the legal system enforces standard compliance with national laws and protects state security, international rights coalitions have condemned the verdict as an unprecedented escalation against independent media. Prominent organizations, alongside figures such as US Senator Chris Van Hollen, who allegedly criticized the basis of the prosecution, warned that the ongoing measures effectively criminalize independent reporting.

Source: www.dw.com