Egypt Orders Arrest of Satirist

Egypt's public prosecutor on Saturday ordered the arrest of a popular television satirist on charges that included insulting President Mohamed Morsi and denigrating Islam, a state news agency reported, a move that amplified criticisms that the Islamist government is moving aggressively to silence its critics and stifle freedom of expression.

The satirist, Bassem Youssef, who hosts a widely watched show modeled on "The Daily Show," has been the subject of numerous legal complaints filed by Islamist lawyers and citizens who took umbrage at Mr. Youssef's skewering of Egypt's political class, including Mr. Morsi, his loyalists and the opposition.

#Egypt #Censorship #Television #FreeSpeech