Amnesty calls the Mada Masr ruling a crushing blow to press freedom in Egypt
Amnesty InternationalHuman rights organization, through Yasmine Ahmed, its Senior Director for Regional Impact
Amnesty International's Yasmine Ahmed calls the ruling a crushing blow to press freedom in Egypt and a dark day for independent journalism in the country.
“Today's decision represents a crushing blow to press freedom in Egypt and marks a dark day for independent journalism in the country”
Official statement
Reporting
Where this statement fits
Egyptian court orders Mada Masr closed and fines editor Lina Attalah over an unlicensed website; the outlet says its license applications went unanswered
On October 27, 2026, a misdemeanor court in New Cairo convicted Mada Masr editor-in-chief Lina Attalah of running a website without a license. It fined her 3 million Egyptian pounds, about $54,000, and ordered the outlet's website closed and its equipment and property confiscated. Mada Masr says it applied for a license in 2018, 2020 and 2023 and never received a decision, and its lawyers say the court denied them a copy of the case file. Press freedom and human rights groups condemned the ruling. We did not locate a public comment on the ruling from Egyptian authorities as of November 1, 2026.
Source and context
Official statement
About this source
Amnesty International news release of October 27, 2026, responding to the New Cairo court's conviction of Lina Attalah and its order to shut down Mada Masr. It quotes Yasmine Ahmed, Amnesty's Senior Director for Regional Impact.
Archived copy (opens in a new tab)Reporting
About this source
Associated Press report of October 27, 2026, as published by CTV News, on the New Cairo misdemeanor court's ruling against Mada Masr editor-in-chief Lina Attalah. It includes Amnesty International's statement on the ruling, an account of the hearing from Hossam Bahgat of the Egyptian Initiative for Personal Rights, and Mada Masr's account of its license applications.
Before the quotation
Amnesty International responds to the news that the New Cairo misdemeanor court convicted Attalah of operating an unlicensed website, ordered Mada Masr shut down and took her into custody pending payment of the 3 million pound fine.
After the quotation
Ahmed says the authorities are sending a clear and ruthless message that critical, independent reporting will not be tolerated, and calls on them to overturn the verdict and halt the closure of Mada Masr.
How this statement is classified
The label describes this statement's response within the context above.
Why this label?
The reference point is the October 27 ruling that convicted Lina Attalah of running Mada Masr without a license, fined her and ordered the outlet closed. Amnesty International calls the decision a crushing blow to press freedom, condemning it.
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More from this case
Read the full caseMada Masr says its work must go on and Attalah should face neither prison nor fines
Mada Masr
“We are angry, but hopeful. We are tired but insistent, insistent that our work must go on, that Lina should face neither prison nor fines, that all jailed journalists should be free.”Read statement
CPJ calls the order to shut down Mada Masr outrageous
Committee to Protect Journalists
“The order to shut down Mada Masr, one of Egypt's leading media outlets, is outrageous and a clear signal that Egypt is doubling down on its efforts to suppress independent media”Read statement
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- Amnesty calls the Mada Masr ruling a crushing blow to press freedom in Egypt
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The Dispute Index. "Amnesty calls the Mada Masr ruling a crushing blow to press freedom in Egypt". First published: 2026-11-01. Last updated: 2026-11-01. https://disputeindex.com/events/7738-amnesty-international-s-yasmine-ahmed-calls-the-ruling