Civil Democratic Movement accuses media regulator of targeting independent journalism
Egypt’s Civil Democratic Movement on Saturday condemned what it described as a “ferocious assault” by authorities targeting free and independent press platforms across the country, following the referral of Mada Masr editor-in-chief Lina Attalah to trial and previous security targeting of the fact-checking platform Matsadaash.
The political coalition warned that the continuous security clampdown and the hounding of journalists undermine any genuine intent to open up public space or pursue meaningful political reform.
In response to the charge against Attalah of “operating a website without a license,” the movement’s statement accused the Supreme Council for Media Regulation of turning into an instrument to besiege independent journalism.
It emphasized that the council deliberately withholds licenses from independent outlets, including Mada Masr, and ignores their formalized applications despite the submission of every required legal document, all while continuing a policy of digital censorship targeting most of these platforms.
Civil Democratic Movement spokesperson Walid El-Amary told Al Manassa that the coalition proposed holding a solidarity conference to denounce the targeting of independent media. He noted that the coalition’s general secretariat will review the proposal on Sunday to formally adopt it, set a date, and define its agenda.
The movement’s statement also criticized what it termed a contradiction between the Egyptian president’s recent remarks regarding commitment to the constitution and the rejection of presidential term extensions, and the escalating pace of security actions against journalists on the ground.
The coalition argued that current conditions heighten concerns over an insistence on handling public affairs through security measures rather than political dialogue with independent and opposition forces.
The coalition also questioned why this security offensive coincides with the government’s organization of an entire conference designed to showcase its achievements.
In its statement, the movement asked why the drive to display state accomplishments overlaps with unrelenting pressure on dissenting voices that have the right to provide an alternative narrative, debate public policy, and expose institutional shortcomings and failures.
Defending press freedom represents a defense of society’s right to knowledge, oversight, and accountability, the movement emphasized, adding that a diversity of voices poses no threat to the state.
It maintained that no one can credibly discuss a genuine path toward change while independent journalism remains subject to blocking, harassment, and criminal prosecution.
In a parallel move, the Bread and Freedom Party (under establishment) expressed solidarity with journalists at Mada Masr and Matsadaash, demanding that the Supreme Council for Media Regulation decide on pending licensing applications for journalistic platforms and institute clear, transparent regulatory criteria.
The party, which belongs to the Civil Democratic Movement, stated that Mada Masr has sought licensing permits since 2018, adding that authorities have yet to answer its most recent application submitted in 2023.
The party warned that keeping these applications suspended leaves news institutions and media workers vulnerable to legal prosecution.
It called for an immediate halt to judicial harassment targeting journalists for their work and urged an end to measures that threaten independent platforms with closure.
The Supreme State Security Prosecution on Thursday referred Attalah to the New Cairo Misdemeanor Court, scheduling the start of her trial for Tuesday on charges of managing an online outlet without a license.
That referral came hours after prosecutors interrogated her and ordered her release on bail of 100,000 Egyptian pounds (around $1800) in connection with Case No. 9072 of 2026, State Security tally.
The prosecution’s decision drew condemnation on Friday from 119 human rights organizations and independent media institutions worldwide, including Al Manassa, all of which demanded an end to Attalah’s prosecution and the immediate issuance of a operating license for Mada Masr.
Egypt ranks 169th out of 180 countries on the 2026 World Press Freedom Index. In March 2024, the Egyptian Journalists Syndicate criticized the ongoing censorship of journalistic outlets, led by Mada Masr and Al Manassa—which authorities blocked 13 times, most recently in July 2022—even as the state lifted restrictions on several other sites, including Darb, Al-Solta Al-Rabaa, Zawia3, and Masr360, around that period.