TV critic of Egypt's president freed

 JournalismPakistan.com |  Published: 2 October 2012

Tawfiq Okasha, known for his criticism of Egyptian President Mohammed Morsi, has been released after nearly 10 hours of police questioning. His TV station was previously closed for incitement against the president.

Summary

CAIRO: The owner of a TV station on trial for incitement following his call for the killing of Egypt's Islamist president has been released after being briefly detained over allegations of theft of electrical power and bounced checks, security officials said on Monday.

They said Tawfiq Okasha was released late Sunday after nearly 10 hours of questioning at a police station in Cairo's Nasr City district.

Authorities last month closed Okasha's TV station — Al-Faraeen," or "The Pharaohs" — which he used to launch scathing attacks on President Mohammed Morsi and the leader's Islamist group, the Muslim Brotherhood.

News of Okasha's detention broke on the same day Justice Ministry officials said an investigating judge referred the last prime minister of Egypt's deposed authoritarian leader Hosni Mubarak to trial on corruption charges arising from the decade he served as civil aviation minister. Besides Ahmed Shafiq, the chairman of national carrier EgyptAir and nine other ministry officials were also referred to trial. - AP

KEY POINTS:

• Tawfiq Okasha released after 10 hours of questioning
• Detained over theft of electrical power and bounced checks
• His TV station, Al-Faraeen, was shut down by authorities
• Okasha has a history of criticizing President Morsi
• Other political figures are also facing legal challenges in Egypt