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# Egypt and the Arrest of Bassem Youssef

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<!-- video src="https://cdn.jwplayer.com/manifests/nXfXNNuv.m3u8" -->
## Video: Egypt and the Arrest of Bassem Youssef

[Watch (HLS stream): Egypt and the Arrest of Bassem Youssef](https://cdn.jwplayer.com/manifests/nXfXNNuv.m3u8) (1:28)

![Egypt and the Arrest of Bassem Youssef](https://cdn.jwplayer.com/v2/media/nXfXNNuv/poster.jpg?width=720)

_Published 2013-04-04. Egypt's top prosecutor issued an arrest warrant on March 30 for Cairo’s most popular comedian, Bassem Youssef, sparking outcry from the likes of Jon Stewart._


---

Jul 27, 2023 3:31 PM UTC

---

## More From This Series

[All Videos](https://time.com/video/)

[Watch: Bassem Youssef on Bringing His Comedy and Culture to the U.S.](/video/TikOxvwD/)

### Watch: Bassem Youssef on Bringing His Comedy and Culture to the U.S.

[Bassem Youssef's TIME 100 Toast](/video/80IIWZfy/)

### Bassem Youssef's TIME 100 Toast

[Egypt’s Protests Explained](/video/43pIsul7/)

### Egypt’s Protests Explained

---


## Transcript

[ MUSIC ] Bassin Yusaf, the Jon Stewart of the, of Egypt. [ LAUGH ] He, he was a Cardiac surgeon who during the Arab Spring sort of, went to Tyree Square first to provide medical services, then got caught up in the, in the fervor of it. And then when Mubarak went down he had an epiphany of his own and decided he was going to have a change of career and became a comedian and his show is incredibly funny. He is as Robin says, an equal opportunity satirist, he pokes fun at everybody. [ NOISE ] He was, in a way A barometer of the new freedoms that the Arab Spring [ INAUDIBLE ]. And so now that the government is going after him, on what seemed like plainly trumped up charges of insulting Islam and, and insulting, the, the president, that brings a chill in the air.

That makes you start wondering. This has attracted international attention from Jon Stewart on down... And by the way, without [ INAUDIBLE ], and all those journalists, and bloggers, and brave protesters, who took to Tahrir Square to voice dissent, you, President Morsi would not be in a position to repress them. The really great thing is that the success is a shield against, the regime. And this is a, this is a test case. If, if President Morsi. It doesn't have the sense of humor, then you are going to lose your sense of legitimacy and quite possibly power very quickly [ MUSIC ].

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