Lina Attalah at risk of imprisonment amid escalating judicial harassment

On 11 November 2026, woman human rights defender and journalist, Lina Attalah, is due to appear before the New Cairo Misdemeanor Court in appeal proceedings concerning a 2024 in absentia conviction, where she was sentenced to one year in prison. She was convicted on charges of disseminating false information and operating a website without a licence. These charges had arisen from her legitimate journalistic work.

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Lina Attalah is an Egyptian woman human rights defender, journalist and co-founder and editor-in-chief of Mada Masr, an independent bilingual news outlet established in Cairo in 2013. She is a prominent advocate for independent journalism and press freedom in Egypt. Lina Attalah previously served as managing editor of the Egypt Independent and has reported extensively on political, social and human rights issues across Egypt and the wider Middle East. Her journalism has addressed sensitive issues including state accountability, immigration, conflict and freedom of expression. As a result of her human rights and journalistic work, the woman human rights defender has faced persistent judicial harassment and intimidation.

On 27 October 2026, while facing similar charges in a separate case, Lina Attalah was made aware of the 2024 in absentia conviction. Her defence team has filed an appeal, but if the conviction is upheld, Lina Attalah is at risk of imminent imprisonment.

The current proceedings are part of a broader pattern of legal action targeting Lina Attalah and her work at Mada Masr. On 27 October 2026, the Ninth Circuit of the New Cairo Misdemeanour Court convicted Lina Attalah on charges of managing a website without a licence. A fine of EGP 3 million (approximately 50,000 euros) was imposed and an order for the closure of Mada Masr and the confiscation of its equipment was made. Following the court proceedings, Egyptian security forces detained Lina Attalah and she wasn’t released until payment of the fine. On 2 November 2026, it was confirmed by the defence that a formal appeal to this conviction had been launched. The appeal proceedings are scheduled for 25 November 2026.

Lina Attalah’s lawyers had requested access to the case file, documents relating to Mada Masr’s licensing status and the hearing of witnesses. These requests were rejected by the Court and another lawyer was appointed, despite the objections made by Lina Attalah and her defence team. The Supreme Council of the Judiciary has disputed the defence’s account, maintaining that her right to a fair trial was respected. It also claimed that Lina Attalah had waived her right to appeal in writing, an assertion her lawyers have denied.

The licensing dispute at the centre of the 27 October case has a longer history, it follows a series of legal actions against Lina Attalah and Mada Masr. On 21 October 2026, the Supreme State Security Prosecution questioned Lina Attalah for more than six hours regarding a recent Mada Masr report on prison protests and the outlet’s licensing status. Prosecutors then ordered her release on a bail set at EGP 100,000 (approximately 1700 euros). On 22 October 2026, she was referred to trial for operating a website without a license. This is the sixth legal case brought against Lina Attalah and Mada Masr in the last six years.

Mada Masr reportedly submitted applications for a media licence to the Supreme Council for Media Regulation in 2018 and 2020, but received no response initially. In 2022, the outlet was informed that one application had been rejected, a decision it subsequently challenged before the courts. A further attempt to regularise its licensing status reportedly went unanswered.

The criminalisation of Lina Attalah takes place amid an escalation of judicial harassment against human rights defenders and independent journalists in Egypt. In September 2026, six journalists working for the investigative and fact-checking platform Matsadaash were arrested and charged with joining and financing a terrorist group and using a social media account to disseminate false news. The Supreme State Security Prosecution ordered the renewal of the journalists’ pre-trial detention on the 27 October. They were ordered to remain in detention for a further 15 days pending investigations, and are expected to appear again for another detention hearing on 10 November 2026. Reportedly, prosecutors had been made aware that some of the detained journalists had been tortured and forced to record fabricated confessions.

Front Line Defenders considers that the targeting of Lina Attalah is linked to her legitimate and peaceful work as a human rights defender, journalist and editor-in-chief, documenting and reporting on matters of public interest. Front Line Defenders is deeply concerned that the prosecution of Lina Attalah and the court-ordered closure of Mada Masr form part of an escalating pattern of restrictions on independent journalism and freedom of expression in Egypt. The misuse of criminal proceedings against human rights defenders, journalists and independent media outlets further restricts the right to access independent information and places a chilling effect on legitimate human rights work.

Front Line Defenders calls on the authorities in Egypt to:

1. Ensure all court proceedings against Lina Attalah comply with international law and incorporate the right to a fair trial;
2. Drop all convictions against Lina Attalah arising from her legitimate human rights work and independent journalism and cease all forms of judicial harassment against her;
3. Lift the closure and confiscation order against Mada Masr and guarantee the independent media outlet can freely operate without restrictions;
4. Ensure in all circumstances that all human rights defenders and journalists can carry out their legitimate human rights work free from restrictions and the fear of reprisals;
5. Immediately and unconditionally release all journalists detained in connection with their legitimate journalistic and human rights work.