Egypt’s Four independent journalists questioned over news article

• The editor and three journalists of the independent news outlet Mada Masr have been charged in connection with an article about a pro-government political party.
• Madr Masr is one of the few remaining Egyptian media outlets not directly controlled or influenced by the government.

In Egypt, the editor of the independent news outlet Mada Masr, as well as three journalists, have been charged in connection with an article about a pro-government political party.

Following complaints from Nation’s Future, prosecutors summoned the four women for questioning on Wednesday.

According to Mada Masr, they were later released on bail after being charged with publishing false news and defaming party members.

President Abdul Fattah al-Sisi has significantly restricted free speech and press freedom in Egypt.

According to the global media watchdog Reporters Without Borders, Madr Masr is one of the few remaining Egyptian media outlets that are not directly controlled or influenced by the government (RSF).

Madr Masr, who dominates parliament and strongly supports President Sisi, published a newsletter about the Nation’s Future on August 31.

According to the article, an investigation had implicated senior officials in Nation’s Future in “grave financial violations,” which were expected to “lead to their departure from the political scene.”

The story was denied “in its entirety” by Nation’s Future, which accused Madr Masr of employing “dubious and unprofessional tactics to destabilize the country’s security.”

Dozens of legal complaints were filed by party members against the three journalists whose bylines appeared in the article – Rana Mamdouh, Sara Seif Eddin, and Beesan Kassab – as well as the article’s editor-in-chief, Lina Attalah.

According to Mada Masr, the women were questioned by prosecutors in Cairo on Wednesday and then informed that they were being charged with slander and defamation of Nation’s Future members, using social media to harass party members, and publishing false news with the intent to disturb public peace.

Ms Attalah was also charged with operating an unlicensed news website.

Madr Masr has been attempting to obtain a licence since 2018, when a new media regulation law went into effect.

On Saturday, the outlet stated that it was confident “in the integrity of our legal position and our commitment to the highest professional publishing standards.”

“We also express our regret that the majority political party in Egypt, which is known to be close to power, is using such tactics to intimidate a press outlet that is working in the public interest,” the statement continued.

RSF expressed grave concern about the threat to Madr Masr and warned that “the Egyptian government’s constant harassment, intimidation, and arrests of journalists are reaching dangerous heights.”

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