During the process, a defence lawyer stated that they discovered she had been sentenced in absentia in 2024 to a year in prison, as well as a fine of 20,000 Egyptian pounds. Attalah’s defence team had appealed that sentence, and a new court hearing was scheduled for 11 November, with Attalah’s lawyers taking steps to challenge the ruling.
Attalah founded Mada Masr in 2013, after coming to international prominence in 2011 during the Arab spring. An advocate for press freedom, she has been arrested on a number of occasions.
The source added that to escalate to the step of referral to trial must be read as a clear intent to entirely shutter the independent media space, and to permanently close what remains.
Attalah’s legal team suggested she had been, in effect, ambushed during a court appearance, with a judge appointing a defence lawyer for her before security personnel detained her in the courtroom.
A critic stated that for years, Egyptian authorities have leveraged their repressive and restrictive tactics against independent media outlets to harass journalists, restrict their operations and chill freedom of expression.
Underlining concerns over the crackdown, Pen International issued a statement with several dozen civil society organisations condemning the moves.
“It risks fully eviscerating the narrow margin of press freedoms that were carefully maintained in Egypt over the past decade, albeit amid great personal sacrifice – a margin that had allowed the continued operation of a handful of news outlets and human rights organisations despite frequent harassment, including through legal avenues.” He has said he intended to remain in power until 2030 to protect Egypt from “traitors, criminals, and saboteurs”.
Attalah’s defence team had appealed that sentence, and a new court hearing was scheduled for 11 November, Azhari added.