Egypt's prosecutor general orders arrest of well-known satirist
Egypt's prosecutor-general on Saturday ordered the arrest of the country's best-known satirist, Bassam Youssef, for making fun of Islamist President Mohamed Mursi and his Muslim Brotherhood.
Youssef hosts a weekly programme, El-Bernameg (The Show), broadcast at prime time on Fridays on a private satellite channel. He is noted for his imitations of the president's speech and gestures.
"Prosecutor-general Talaat Ibrahim ordered the arrest of Bassem Youssef on the accusation of insulting President Mursi," state radio reported. Egypt's news agency MENA said that Youssef was also accused of insulting Islam.
Youssef later tweeted confirming the news and said he would go on his own to the prosecutor's office on Sunday. "But they are welcome to send me a car and save me the trip if they like," Youssef wrote in the same tweet.
A week ago the authorities ordered the arest of several opposition activists accused of inciting violence against Mursi and the ruling Muslim Brotherhood.
Reuters
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