EU urges Egypt to respect press freedom following Mada Masr shutdown

On October 27, 2026, a Cairo court ordered the shutdown of Mada Masr, a prominent independent media outlet in Egypt. The judicial decision followed the arrest of the outlet's editor-in-chief, Lina Attalah, who was subsequently released on the same day after paying a significant fine.

In response to these events, Anwar El Anouni, a spokesperson for the European Union's diplomatic service, stated on October 29 that Egypt is obligated to uphold press freedom under the 2004 association agreement between the two parties. The agreement includes mutual commitments to democracy, the rule of law, and fundamental human rights. The European Union remains Egypt's primary trading partner, with bilateral trade reaching 32.3 billion euros in 2025.

Before the official confirmation of Attalah's release, Amnesty International characterized the developments as a dark day for independent journalism in the region. The EU emphasized that freedom of expression is a shared fundamental right, though the sources do not provide information on potential legal appeals or the specific future status of the website.