KEY POINTS
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Egyptian court postpones Lina Attalah’s retrial until November 18.
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Her defence team has requested a change of judge.
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Attalah faces charges linked to false news and an alleged unlicensed website.
An Egyptian court has postponed the retrial of Lina Attalah, editor-in-chief of independent news website Mada Masr, until November 18, following a request by her defence team to have the presiding judge replaced.
Attalah is facing charges of publishing false news and operating an unlicensed website. The case has drawn attention from human rights organisations, which regard it as an important test of the ability of independent media outlets to operate in Egypt.
Mada Masr announced the postponement on Wednesday, November 11, saying its lawyers had asked for a change of judge because he had previously ruled against Attalah in a separate case on October 27.
The judge suspended proceedings for one week to allow the Court of Appeals to decide whether the request should be granted.
Defence challenges judge over previous ruling
The request to replace the judge followed his decision last month to fine Attalah three million Egyptian pounds, equivalent to about $56,200, and order the closure of Mada Masr over a separate charge of operating without a licence.
The ruling was delivered after a single hearing.
Attalah’s lawyers had also raised concerns about the handling of that case. They said the court rejected their requests to examine the case file and present additional evidence. They further alleged that the court appointed a lawyer to represent Attalah despite her objections.
Egypt’s Supreme Judicial Council subsequently rejected suggestions that the proceedings had been unfair.
An appeal against the October 27 ruling is scheduled to be heard on November 25.
Dispute over Mada Masr’s operating licence
Mada Masr and other independent news websites have said they applied for licences under Egypt’s 2018 media law, which introduced licensing requirements for online news platforms.
However, the outlets say they have yet to receive formal decisions on their applications.
The licensing dispute has become a central issue in the legal challenges facing the independent news website, which has continued to operate amid pressure from the authorities.
Attalah faces separate prison sentence
The November 18 retrial concerns a separate case in which Attalah was sentenced in absentia to one year in prison in 2024.
According to Mada Masr, she only became aware of the sentence on October 27, when she was being released following the ruling that ordered the closure of the publication.
The Egyptian authorities have not responded to Reuters’ requests for comment on the case or broader concerns about press freedom in the country.
Officials have repeatedly maintained that the government supports freedom of expression but insist that media organisations must comply with the law and respect national security requirements.
