Bassem Youssef Arrested, A popular television satirist known as Egypt's Jon Stewart was questioned by Egyptian prosecutors Sunday over allegations he insulted President Mohamed Morsi.
The case is regarded by Morsi’s critics as the most recent proof of a crackdown on dissent.
Bassem Youssef, the host of the weekly show "ElBernameg" or "The Program," turned himself in after an arrest warrant was issued for him on Saturday, Reuters reported.
Government opponents said the warrant against such a high profile figure, known for lampooning President Mohammed Morsi and the new Islamist political class, was an escalation in a campaign to intimidate critics. It followed warrants for five prominent anti-government activists accused of instigating violence.
Youssef tweeted a series of quips from the prosecutor's office. "They asked me the color of my eyes. Really," one read.
Youssef’s popularity grew, according to a Reuters report, with an online satire show after the uprising that swept through Egypt and led to the downfall of former President Hosni Mubarak in 2011. Youssef’s program, which has been compared to Jon Stewart’s “Daily Show,” is now broadcast on television.
