Khalid Ibrahim, Executive Director of the GCHR

In a trial that lacked fairness, a court ordered the closure of @MadaMasr and imposed a fine on its editor-in-chief, journalist and human rights defender Lina Attalah in 🇪🇬 #Egypt. These measures threaten independent journalism and risk creating a chilling effect on human rights defenders and civil society. I will closely follow the 11 November hearing concerning a separate one-year prison sentence issued against Lina Attalah in absentia in 2024, as well as the proceedings concerning Mada Masr’s closure and their broader impact on the right to defend human rights. I call on the Egyptian authorities to immediately reverse the decision to shut down Mada Masr, overturn any convictions arising from Lina Attalah’s legitimate journalistic and human rights work, and ensure a safe and enabling environment for journalists and human rights defenders, in line with international human rights standards. 📸 Mada Masr @PMEgypt_Geneva  @MFAEgOfficial