The European Union on Thursday, October 29, 2026, urged the Egyptian authorities to protect independent media outlets, in a statement issued by its spokesperson, commenting on the conviction of Lina Attalah, editor-in-chief and co-founder of Mada Masr, the closure of the website, and the continued detention of the Matsadaash newsroom.
Anouar El Anouni, the EU spokesperson for foreign affairs, said that Egyptian laws recognise the right to freedom of opinion and expression, “which is a fundamental right,” and that “the preservation and the protection of independent media outlets are essential.” The statement noted that the EU-Egypt Association Agreement and the Strategic and Comprehensive Partnership between the two sides reflect a shared commitment to democracy, the rule of law and human rights, and that Egypt’s National Human Rights Strategy aims to strengthen pluralism and diversity of opinion.
The statement highlighted two events: the arrest of the Matsadaash newsroom on September 28 and 29, whose members remain in custody, and the conviction of Mada Masr’s editor-in-chief on October 27, which led to the website’s closure.
The New Cairo Misdemeanor Court had issued, on Tuesday, October 27, a ruling fining Attalah EGP 3 million ($62,112) and ordering the closure of Mada Masr, after a single hearing, on the charge of establishing and running a website without a licence, after the Supreme State Security Prosecution referred her to trial in case no. 9072 of 2026. Attalah was released the same day after payment of the fine. The 2018 Law on Regulating the Press and Media requires websites operating in Egypt to obtain a licence from the Supreme Council for Media Regulation, and Mada Masr has been blocked inside Egypt since 2017.
Photo: Jan-Tore Egge via Wikimedia Commons (CC BY-SA 4.0)
