Concerns over media freedoms in Morsy's Egypt

The soaring number of legal complaints against journalists has cast doubt on Morsy's commitments to freedom of expression — a key demand of the popular uprising that toppled Hosni Mubarak in 2011.

The Cairo cafe is packed with patrons in stitches as television host Bassem Youssef fires his caustic criticism at President Mohamed Morsy, but post-revolution media freedoms have proved no laughing matter for some.

Youssef's razor sharp wit, delivered on his weekly programme Albernameg (The Show), has spared few public figures, least of all President Morsy and members of his Muslim Brotherhood.

But the heart surgeon turned comedian who enjoys a massive following has now joined the ranks of several colleagues in the media who face charges of insulting the president.

The soaring number of legal complaints against journalists has cast doubt on Morsy's commitments to freedom of expression — a key demand of the popular uprising that toppled Hosni Mubarak in 2011.

Prominent rights lawyer Gamal Eid told state-owned Ahram online that there have been four times as many lawsuits for "insulting the president" in Morsy's first 200 days in office than during the entire 30 years that Mubarak ruled.

During his election campaign, Mr Morsy pledged to guarantee media freedom, and vowed "not to stop anyone from writing or ban any opinion" during his tenure.

But in recent months, the lawsuits have multiplied.

The presidency accused veteran journalist and television show host Mahmud Saad and his guest psychologist Manal Omar of insulting the president after she said Morsi who served jail time was suffering from psychological problems.

Morsy, a former senior leader of the Muslim Brotherhood, had several stints in jail under Mubarak.

The legal complaints are a "a very dangerous sign that the presidency believes freedom of opinion and expression must be restricted. The current regime is unwilling to deal with criticism," said Emad Mubarak, who heads the Association for Freedom and Thought of Expression.

"It seems that the presidency and its loyalists are on a campaign to scare journalists in order to have a soft and obedient media," he said.

According to human rights lawyers, under Mubarak, the presidency had never officially filed a legal complaint against a journalist.

But lawyers with ties to Mubarak's legal team filed the suits, such as in the case against outspoken journalist Ibrahim Eissa, accusing him of spreading rumours about Mubarak's health.

Eissa received a jail sentence in 2008 but was eventually pardoned by Mubarak.