Bassem Youssef holding cushion showing President Morsi (stream.aljazeera.com)
The presidency condemned the support of the comedian’s show, accusing the embassy of “negative political propaganda”.
.@usembassycairo @thedailyshow @drbassemyoussef It's inappropriate for a diplomatic mission to engage in such negative political propaganda
— Egyptian Presidency (@EgyPresidency) April 2, 2013
During the offending show, US comedian Jon Stewart criticises Morsi and voices support for Egyptian satirist Bassem Youssef, who presents a similar show in Egypt and was recently summoned for questioning related to charges of insulting Islam and the president.
Youssef handed himself in on Sunday following the issuance of an arrest warrant for him by the prosecutor general and since been released on bail at a cost of 15,000 Egyptian Pounds (US$2,200).
“Without Bassem and all those journalists, and bloggers, and brave protesters who took to Tahrir square to voice dissent, you, President Morsy, would not be in a position to repress them,” said Stewart in the Daily Show episode which has angered the Egyptian presidency.
“For someone who spent time in jail yourself under Mubarak, you seem awfully eager to send other people there for the same non-crimes, and just like you, they will only emerge from prison stronger and more determined.”
In response to the outrage that Youssef’s questioning has prompted, the presidency also felt it necessary to release a statement via Facebook today - entitled “press release on the questioning of the comedian” - expounding the importance of freedom of expression and declaring that said freedom is fully respected under the current presidential regime.
The presidency further assured the public it had not laid any complaints before the judiciary about Youssef, and that the judiciary is now a separate and independent entity.
“The Presidency reaffirms that Egypt after the revolution has become a state of law with independent Judiciary. Hence, the Prosecution's summoning of any Egyptian citizen regardless of his title or fame is the decision of the Prosecutor General, who operates independently from the presidency,” said the statement.
“We urge citizens to exercise their legal right to freedom of speech while respecting the rule of law,” the presidency concludes.
