BEIJING, April 1 (Xinhuanet) -- ian television satirist Bassem Youssef has appeared before prosecutors for questioning. He’s been arrested for allegedly insulting Islam and President Mohammed . People gathered outside the prosecutor’s office in Cairo, expressing their support for Youssef.

Abdel Rahman Ahmed, Bassem Youssef supporter, said, "He is my voice that cannot reach the media. He is the one who speaks for us. We don’t want to lose our voice."

Bassem Youssef is the host of the weekly show called "The Programme." The show is a platform for lampooning the government, opposition, media and clerics, and attracts a wide viewership.

Government opponents say the charge against such a high profile figure is an escalation in a campaign to intimidate critics of President Morsi and Egypt’s new Islamist political class. The arrest follows warrants for five prominent anti-government activists accused of instigating violence.

(Source: CNTV.cn)